New Delhi, May 12 (PTI) The residents associations representing consumers at a public hearing organised virtually by power regulator DERC on Thursday raised the issues of fixed charges and pension trust fund burden bore by the consumers.
The two-day public hearing is being conducted by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) on petitions filed by the power distribution companies (discoms) in the run-up to the tariff revision for 2022-23.
The public hearing was conducted virtually in view of COVID-19. The hearing was presided by DERC chairman Justice (retd) Shabihul Hasnain and attended by member of the Commission AK Ambasht.
In the year 2022-23, Delhi discoms will collect fixed charges to the tune of Rs 3273.32 crore, claimed BS Vohra, president of East Delhi RWAs Joint Front.
He said the total installed capacity of Delhi discoms is 7,479.01 MW according to the draft Master Plan of Delhi 2041 and also in accordance with tariff order dated March 28, 2018, the power allocation of Delhi is 7,989 MW.
“How discoms collect fixed charges on the total sanctioned load of 22,876 MW, over and above the total installed capacity, as well as the total power allocation of Delhi,” Vohra questioned.
Some stakeholders also raised the issue of realisation of fixed charges from commercial consumers during lockdown period. The electricity bill comprise fixed charges for a month and the units consumed.
Delhi discoms in their petitions filed with DERC have sought suitable cost reflective rates and time-bound recovery of regulatory assets.
Saurabh Gandhi, general secretary of United Residents of Delhi, raised the issue of pension trust charge and increase in it.
“We said that why the burden of pension trust charge was put on the consumers and demanded its audit by the CAG,” Gandhi said.
He said the issue of high maintenance charge of street lights, verification of assets was also raised in the hearing.
The petitions uploaded on the DERC website showed that the revenue requirement was Rs 9,187 crore for BRPL, Rs 4,409 crore for BYPL and Rs 7,001 for TPDDL in 2020-21.
The standalone revenue gap for the three discoms has been computed to be around Rs 2,968 crore.
The rate of electricity in Delhi has not increased in the last six to seven years, with the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government providing full subsidy on consumption of 200 units and up to Rs 800 on consumption of 201-400 units.
The public hearing will continue on Friday. PTI VIT CK
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