Revised power tariff comes into effect but pay arrears from April

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Though Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) had revised the power tariff on May 12 by an average 70 paise per unit for all household connections in the state, the order was given retrospective effective from April 2023 onwards. Now BESCOM Managing Director Mahantesh Bilagi has announced that due to the revision of tariff from April, tariff of 70 paise per unit will be collected in the June bills.

The KERC has ordered fixation of tariff in two slabs. According to the order, for consumption of the first 100 units, the revised energy charge is 4.75 rupees per unit and if consumption crosses 100 units, the energy charge is 7 rupees per unit. The consumer has to pay 7 rupees per unit if consumption crosses 100 units. Before tariff revision, energy charges were fixed in 3 slabs.

According to earlier energy charges, for consumption of first 50 units, the energy charge was 4.15 rupees per unit, for consumption of another 50 units, the energy charge was 5.6 rupees per unit and for consumption beyond 100 units, energy charges were fixed at 7.15 per unit, Bilagi explained. The KERC has also revised fixed charges. For 1 to 50 KW sanctioned load, the fixed charge is 110 rupees and above 50 KW sanctioned load, the fixed charge will be 210 rupees.

The revision of tariff was supposed to be implemented in the month of March/ April, but due to the code of conduct announced for the Karnataka Assembly Elections on March 29, 2023, the issuance of the tariff order was put on hold by KERC. However the tariff revision order has been issued on May 12, 2023 with retrospective effect from April 2023, Bilagi stated.