TSERC tells DISCOMS to submit new tariff proposals

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Energy Regulatory Commission (TSERC) has directed the DISCOMS to file new tariff proposals immediately as the power utilities had submitted ARRs without proposals. The two utilities have suffered losses of over Rs 21,000 crore during the last two years.

The DISCOMS, including TSSPDCL, TSNPDCL and CESS (Sircilla), submitted ARRs (aggregate revenue requirements) for 2021-22 and 2022-23 to the commission on Tuesday. TSERC chairman T Sriranga Rao said since the ARR filings were not accompanied with tariff proposals, as per provisions of the regulation, the commission directed the DISCOMS to file them. After receiving the proposals, the commission can take up other activities, like calling public hearings. Rao said the revenue requirement for the two organisations for 2021-22 was Rs 45,618 crore and for 2022-23 Rs 53,053 crore. The per year government subsidy for the DISCOMs was Rs 5,652 crore, including Rs 4,250 crore for the NPDCL and Rs 1,398 crore for the SPDCL. The chairman stated that the revenue gap for the organisations was Rs 10,624 crore; the projected revenue gap was Rs 10,928 crore. He said the commission can move forward only if there is a tariff proposal, adding the new prices can be implemented only after March 31, 2022.