TIRUPATI: B. Rajesh, a medical representative from Korlagunta area in Tirupati, could not find work due to the Covid-19 induced crisis. His wife Latha is supporting the family by working at a pharmacy. Between July and August, the family used 141 units of power and received a bill of Rs 481, of which Rs 407.60 was charged for the units consumed, while the rest was other charges.
However, the family used 152 units between August and September and received a power bill of Rs 714 this month, of which the charge for the units consumed is Rs 447.20. Excluding other charges, they have to pay Rs 186.96 additionally under the “true-up” charges. They say it is an unbearable burden for them. This is not an isolated case; it is just a reference to the recent imposition of true-up charges on consumers.
Citing that power distribution companies (Discoms) are in financial distress, AP Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) permitted them to recover true-up charges for the distribution business for the period between 2014-15 and 2018-19. The APERC has allowed the APSPDCL to recover Rs 3,060 crore in equal instalments starting August, 2021, from consumers with an interest of 10.3 percent, said an order dated August 27.
According to an official, of the total 18,43,944 services in Chittoor district, 13,10,996 are household connections, 2,99,556 are agricultural, 20,444 are industrial and 2,12,948 are other services. The government has been paying power charges for agricultural services, 1.20 lakh SC and ST users and a certain BC population who are benefiting from the government schemes. Excluding them, about 13.75 lakh consumers have to face an additional burden now in the name of true-up charges, which is expected to touch Rs 300 crore in this district alone.
“Under the present circumstances, no matter how poor a family is, they consume an average of 150 to 200 units of electricity per month. On an average, a poor family should shell out an additional charge of Rs 180 to Rs 240 per month and a middle-class family should pay Rs 250 to Rs 480 per month. The burden on commercial and industrial consumers will be in thousands of rupees,” noted P. Naveen Kumar Reddy, convener of Rayalaseema Porata Samithi.
He noted that in the wake of Covid, poor and middle-class families were+ reeling under severe financial crisis, and large and small-scale businesses had also been hit hard financially. “All sections are becoming increasingly impatient with the recent burdens in the form of rise in electricity tariffs, and in the face of already skyrocketing prices of cooking gas, fuel, and other essentials,” he said while requesting the government to shoulder the burden of the common people who consumed less than 200 units per month.
