BANGALORE: Power bill is set to shock you this time. The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Monday announced a tariff hike of up to 20 paise per unit for domestic consumers and 24 paise per unit for commercial and industrial consumers across the state.
The new rates are effective from May 1. The average hike works to about 23 paise per unit. Electricity supply companies (Escoms) had demanded a hike of 70 paise per unit for all consumers, barring irrigation pump-set users , Bhagya Jyothi and Kuteera Jyothi beneficiaries.
For domestic consumers, the hike for the first 100 units is 20 paise per unit and and 15 paise per unit after that. For residential apartments under the high-tension category, the new tariff will be Rs 4.90 per unit, up from Rs 4.70.
Hike harsher as electricity usage goes up
A Bangalorean paying a monthly power bill of Rs 400 will now cough up nearly Rs 450 from May. The increase is higher as the bill amount goes up.
According to the new tariff structure, domestic consumers in Bangalore city will have to pay for the first 30 units Rs2.50 per unit as against the earlier Rs 2.30 and Rs 3.70 per unit as against Rs 3.50 for next 70 units. The new tariff for the next slab of 100 units will be Rs 4.85 per unit. Beyond 200 units, the tariff will be Rs 5.85 per unit. In Bangalore Rural jurisdiction and the outlying areas of the city, the new tariff will be Rs2.40 per unit for the first 30 units, Rs3.40 per unit for the next 70 units, Rs4.55 per unit between 100 and 200 units and Rs5.35 per unit beyond 200 units. KERC tried to sugarcoat the tariff hike by claiming that the Escoms will guarantee consumers 24 hours of uninterrupted power supply in the city and 22 hours in towns.
The tariff hike announcement was delayed as the KERC was directed by the chief electoral officer, Karnataka not to announce the new tariff order when the assembly poll code of conduct was in place.
The KERC said there are 158 lakh domestic consumers across state, of which 134.5 lakh are not beneficiaries of any subsidy schemes.
