Power tariff in Delhi may go up next month as Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission ( DERC ) is all set to review the fuel surcharge to help the private distribution companies adjust their power purchase cost.
Strange & Shocking ! It has become a routine for the Discoms to ask a hike from DERC & DERC is always willing to oblige.
According to DERC, the private discoms operating in the city have a revenue gap of a whopping Rs 19,500 crore. But how DERC can accept this undertaking when there is no CAG AUDIT of Discoms.
Strange, DISCOMs don't come under RTI, they are not co-operating for CAG Audit, but they want the Public of Delhi to believe, that, they are getting losses.
As per official figures, around 80-90 per cent of total revenue of discoms goes into purchasing power from central and state government owned entities through long term power purchase agreement, at rates determined by the central and state regulators.
The experts ( ? ) say that the cost of buying power from generating companies has increased by around 300 per cent in the last two years while the power tariff, in the corresponding period, has risen by around 70 per cent.
It seems this has become a vicious cycle where things are just rotating in one direction i.e. hike after another hike.
It seems this has become a vicious cycle where things are just rotating in one direction i.e. hike after another hike.
Delhiites have already seen a series of hikes in power tariff : the tariff was hiked by 22 per cent in 2011 followed by five per cent hike in February 2012. The tariff was hiked by up to two per cent in May 2012 year and again by 26 per cent for domestic consumers in July 2012. The tariff was hiked by up to three per cent in February last year and again by five per cent in August last.
The experts must note that DELHIITES ARE NOT WILLING TO BEAR ANY MORE BURDEN ON THE NAME OF POWER TARIFF, TILL THE DISCOMs GET AUDITED UNDER THE CAG, AND TILL THE CAG REPORT IS RELEASED.
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