Bengaluru: Consumers may see a hike in their monthly electric bills this year as Bescom has proposed a 9-12.8 % hike in retail supply tariff for low-tension, domestic consumers in areas falling under BBMP, other municipal corporations and urban local bodies.
The utility on Saturday submitted its proposal to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission. Bescom plans to recover Rs 5,872-crore revenue deficit from the proposed tariff revision. KERC is expected to take a call after a public hearing.
While last year, KERC announced an average hike of 4.8% across four slabs for domestic consumers within Bescom limits, this year, the utility has sought for an increase in two slabs — 101 to 200 units and above 200. For both these consumption slabs, Bescom proposed a hike of Re 1 each — Rs 6.75 to Rs 7.75 and Rs 7.8 to Rs 8.8. The fixed charges payable per month have also been proposed to go up from Rs 60 to Rs 85 for 1KW and Rs 70 to Rs 95 for those using beyond that.
This would essentially mean that a consumer who uses 400 units of electricity in a month under the existing tariff and pays a bill of Rs 2,912, will have to cough up Rs 3,287 under the proposed rates. Similarly, a consumer who uses 300 units of electricity in a month under the existing tariff and pays Rs 2,132 will have to shell out Rs 2,407.
“The hike differs based on consumption patterns,” explained a Bescom official, adding, “Last year, six slabs were broken into four. This year, the hike has been proposed only for the last two slabs.”
As per the tariff order announced by KERC last year, the average increase, including a hike in fixed charges, was 33 paise per unit for domestic consumers in BBMP and other urban local body limits.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes
