Power Tariff Left Untouched Again, Regulator Says Rates Competitive

Increase In Pension Trust Surcharge From 5% To 7% To Raise Your Bill Slightly

- Sidhartha Roy

New Delhi: In a major relief for nearly 62 lakh electricity consumers in the capital, power regulator Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission did not hike the tariffs while announcing the rates for 2020-21. DERC said it found “there are no good reasons” to raise the rates. There will, however, be a marginal increase in the monthly power bill from October 1 due to the ‘pension trust surcharge’ increasing from 5% to 7%.

DERC hadn’t considered any hike in the tariff the previous fiscal year too due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The power discoms have been requesting an increase in rates in their petitions to the commission to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

DERC has kept the regulatory asset surcharge, which goes to the discoms, unchanged at 8%. However, it has increased the pension trust charge related to the erstwhile Delhi Vidyut Board employees from 5% to 7%. Last year, DERC had increased the same charge from 3.8% to 5%, keeping in view the interest and welfare of retired DVB employees.