Kerala: KSEB to shock consumers again

Thiruvananthapuram: The domestic and high tension users of electricity in the state are in for another shock. The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has decided to request the government to restrict the use of power and charge market rate for the domestic consumers who use more than 200 units a month. For HT industries, 30 percent of the total use will be charged market rate and only 70 percent the existing rate.

The KSEB said that for domestic consumers, the existing rate must be billed for up to 200 units and for higher consumption each unit has to be charged Rs 10. The recommendation was made following the financial crisis faced by the KSEB and shortage of water in the dams to meet the power requirement of Kerala. Power Minister Aryadan Mohammed said KSEB has submitted a proposal for power tariff hike and restriction. This will be discussed by the board and the suggestions will be put up before the Cabinet.

There are about 85 lakh domestic consumers in the state and only about 9.5 lakh consume more than 200 units per month. The number of consumers who use more than 500 units per month is 24,000. The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) has allowed to introduce ‘time-of-day (ToD) tariff in domestic sector from January 1, 2013. As per ToD, the domestic users whose consumption is more than 500 units a month will have to pay more charge for the power they consume during 6 pm to 10 pm.

The domestic and high tension users of electricity in the state are in for another shock.

Already KSERC has given the nod for charging market rate from consumers whose consumption is more than 300 units a month. Recently, a tariff revision was made with retrospective effect from July 1, 2012, which amounts to around 30 per cent increase for all category of consumers.

The water level in Idukki reservoir, the largest power production centre in Kerala, is dwindling and now there is only 32 per cent of the total capacity. The power production has also been reduced to around two million units a day.

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