While the new power tariff order will ensure that over one crore consumers (43 per cent of the total consumers in the state) across various categories cough up additional charges on power consumption, officials indicated that the new tariff has taken into account the cost of imported coal and other overheads and therefore may be a blessing in disguise as the FSA is expected to be minimal in the year.
However, free supply to agricultural consumers as well as the reduced tariff for the domestic sector in the 50-100 units slab will cost the government an additional Rs 100 crore in subsidy. The subsidy amount has gone up from Rs 4,300 crore to Rs 5,358 crore (24 per cent).
APTransco CMD Ajay Jain said, “We have alre-ady taken into account probable increases in costs like on purchases and cost of imported coal. We are hopeful of providing a much better supply. Also, the gap in revenue will be taken care of unl-ess there are extraordinary circumstances. The interest of the poorer section of the consumers has been taken care of. Also, despite the hike, our tariffs are lesser compared to other southern states.”
Incidentally, the state has an installed capacity of gas power of 2,700 MW that is lying idle in the absence of gas supply.
“The power shortage in our state is because of the failure of companies like RIL and Coal India Ltd. to supply fuel as per the agr-eements,” Mr Jain said.