Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 11: The people of the state have to mentally prepare themselves to absorb the power tariff hike shock which they may get shortly. The process will be set rolling immediately after the process of the council election concludes.

All the electricity supply companies (escom) in the state have approached Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Authority (KERC) with proposals seeking permission to upwardly revise the power tariff. The average hike demanded by them works out to Rs 1.58 per unit. Bescom has sought a hike of Rs 1.50 per unit. In addition to Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd (Mescom), Chamundeshwari electricity supply company from Mysuru, and Hubballi electricity supply company too have demanded an increase in the electricity rate. The process of conducting hearings at various places and considering the objections will be held next month. Thereafter, KERC will come out with its decision. The revised fare will be effective from April 1 next year.

The actual hike will be made known in February or March. KERC, going by the earlier trend, is likely to permit uniform increase for all the escoms after considering the financial implications. All these companies have said that they will face losses if the hike demanded is not permitted.

It may be recalled that KERC had increased 40 paise per unit of power from November 1, 2020, five to eight paise per unit in January 2021 in the name of increase in fuel cost, and 30 paise hike on July 10, which was made applicable from April 1, 2021. During the last one and half years, the customers have been burdened to the extent of a minimum of 78 paise per unit.