KERC Hikes Power Tariff by 27.35 Paise Per Unit

B D Narayankar

Press Trust of India

Bangalore, Oct 28: Amid continuing energy crisis, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has ordered an average 27.35 paise hike on per unit of power used across the board.

The increase in power rates comes in the wake of public anger over long hours of scheduled and unscheduled outages across Karnataka.

"The Commission, on an average across all categories, has increased the power tariff by 27.35 paise and the orders comes into effect from today," KERC Chairman M R Srinivas Murthy told reporters here.

In domestic and All Electric Home (AEH) categories, for the first 30 units consumed in urban and rural areas, the consumer would be charged Rs 2.20 per unit which is 10 paise more than the existing Rs 2.10, Murthy said.

For the next 70 units (31-100 units), the consumer would be charged Rs 3.40 per unit which is 20 paise more than the existing Rs 3.20 per unit, he said.

For 101-200 units, the consumer would be charged Rs 4.50, which is 30 paise more than the existing Rs 4.20 per unit, Murthy said.

However, the hike would be 50 paise (from Rs 5 to Rs 5.50) for 201-300 units for domestic and AEH category users, he added.

In the Light Tension (LT) commercial category, for first 50 units the consumer would be charged Rs 6, which is 40 paise more than the existing Rs 5.60 per unit, Murthy said.

The hike would be 20 paise (from Rs 6.80 to Rs 7) for above 50 units for LT commercial category users, he said.

In Light Tension industrial category, for first 500 units the consumer would have to pay Rs 4 per unit, a hike of 40 paise from the existing Rs 3.60 per unit, Murthy said.

For next slab between 501-1,000 units, the consumer would have to pay 50 paise more than the existing Rs 4.50 per unit, he said.

Above 1,000 units, consumers would have to pay 30 paise more from the existing Rs 4.70 per unit, Murthy said.