UPPCL secretly increased the power rates, putting a burden on the consumer
UPERC overturned the UPPCL’s decision taken in a stealthily manner
Lucknow, Jan 02: The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission(UPERC) has issued an order to immediately stop the electricity rates secretly hiked by Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL).
The Commission has clearly stated that no increase in electricity rates should be done by UPPCL till it gives a decision in this matter. Both domestic and commercial consumers were coming under the ambit of increased rates. The Commission has stayed it with objecting to it.
However, The Power Corporation has decided to hike the electricity rates citing increase in coal and oil prices. These rates were implemented from the January bill itself. According to the rules, permission from the Electricity Regulatory Commission was not taken even for this increase in rates.
UPPCL had issued an order to change the billing software along with an order to increase the electricity consumers’ bills from 0.04 to 0.66 paise per unit for all categories of electricity consumers. On getting information about this, Awadhesh Verma, chairman of the UP State Electricity Consumers Council, immediately registered an objection. He made a public interest report of public importance in the Regulatory Commission.
Subsequently, the chairman of the commission RP Singh issued a directive to the chairman of UPPCL and the managing directors of all the power companies to immediately stop the increase in power rates. The Chairman of the Commission has also stated clearly that UPPCL will not take any step in this matter before the final decision of the Commission.
Avadhesh Kumar Verma said that under the incremental cast (IC) appraisal MYT Regulation 2014 on the electricity consumers of the state, this load is being imposed by wrongly per unit of IC item. UPPCL issued an order for imposing an average of 0.26 paise per unit on electricity consumers from January 2020 on electricity bills. The category-wise increase ranges from 0.04 paise per unit to a maximum of 0.66 paise per unit.
UPPCL wrongly appraised this growth. Therefore, giving full information to the Regulatory Commission, the reality was conveyed. The Commission has stayed the decision of UPPCL in the interest of consumers.
