Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) on Friday announced a 37 per cent hike in the power tariff, covering both domestic and industry sectors, a move that will fetch an additional Rs 7,874 crore and bail out the state electricity board which is in the red.
The upward revision in power tariff, undertaken after a nine-year gap in some categories, follows a steep hike in milk price and bus fares announced by the Jayalalithaa government.
Under the revision effective from April 1, domestic consumers using upto 50 units per month would be charged Rs2.60 per unit, of which a subsidy of Rs1.50 will be borne by the government and the rest by the consumer.
Consumers using from 50 units to 100 units per month would be charged Rs 2.80 per unit, of which Re1 would be subsidy.
A fixed charge of Rs10 per month will also be charged from the consumers.
Consumers using power upto 100 units per month will have to shell out Rs3 per unit and there will not be any subsidy. However, from 101 units to 250 units, the charge will be Rs4 per unit, of which Rs0.50 will come as subsidy.
The Commission has evolved a separate set of charges to those category of consumers who consume 251 units and above.
For them, upto 100 units, Rs3 per unit will be charged, from 101 to 250 units, Rs4 per unit and from 201 unit and above, Rs5.75 per unit will be charged.
Addressing a press conference, S. Nagalsamy and K. Venugopal, both members of TNERC said the tariff revision, which will in force for one year, would turn around TANGEDCO (Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd) and TANTRANSCO (Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Ltd).