Uniform power tariff burns a hole in consumers' pockets?

Hyderabad: The power consumers in the State are angry with the distribution companies over the implementation of uniform billing which has led to higher billing.

A campaign has been launched in the social media group against the uniform billing and it has gone viral. The consumers have demanded metering of consumption of power as per the slab-wise.

Power consumption is calculated as per the prescribed rates.The rates being approved by the Electricity Regulatory Commission are the basis for calculating the power consumption.

The rates are prescribed slab-wise gives scope for the consumer to curtail power usage. As per the retail tariff announced by the TSERC, there are six slabs for 2019 – 19.

First slab is 0 – 50 units, second one 51 - 100 units, third one 101 – 200 units, fourth one 201 to 300 units, fifth one 301 – 400 units and sixth one 401 – 800 units.

As per the approved rates, the tariff for first slab is Rs 1.45, second Rs 2.60, third Rs 4.30, fourth Rs 7.20, fifth Rs 7.20, and sixth Rs 8.50. Usage more than 900 units attracts Rs 9 per unit.

Under non-uniform tariff system, the usage is calculated as per the slab. If a consumer uses power up to 100 units, the charge is Rs 145. If the usage crosses third slab, the charge for the second slab is Rs 260. The total charge is Rs 145+260 = 405.

If the same is calculated under uniform tariff, the charge would be Rs 520. Thus, the burden on the consumer would be Rs 115.

Samachara Hakku Vikasa Samithi founder president Y Krishna Reddy said due to the uniform billing the monthly power charges have been rising substantially. He said the meter readers are taking meter reading after 30 days and this has been resulting into higher billing.

He said that the reading has to be taken once in 30 days. But the staff has been taking the reading even after 40 days. Due to this the usage is billed at higher slabs. If a consumer uses 100 units per 30 days, he is charged with Rs 3.60 per unit.

Then the bill is Rs 360. But due to delayed reading, the number of units crosses 106 and it attracts the next level charge of Rs 6.90. So, the total charge goes up to Rs 690.

He alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the excess billing. The officials have been directing the meter reading staff to take reading after 30 days.

They have been forcing the consumers to pay more.

However, the officials of the distribution companies denied this and said that the charges are applied as per the software approved by the Electricity Regulatory Authority.

They said that the billing software was modified long ago and implemented as per the directions of Electricity Regulatory Commission to avoid unnecessary burden on electricity consumers in case of delay in billing.

For example, if consumer falls under category 1B (1), the first slab rate is Rs 3.30 and for first slab usage of 0-100 units.

If billing is delayed by 10 days, the first slab of the said consumer will automatically extend to 0 - 133 units. There is no fraud in case of delayed billing by the power staff as alleged.