HYDERABAD: The Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (TSERC) directed the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL) and Telangana State Northern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSNPDCL) to collect a surcharge of 39 paise per unit, instead of a proposed ₹9.86 additional surcharge, from open-access users
Usually, discoms supply the power to domestic and commercial consumers on prescribed tariffs, but few industries procure power from private operators for lower prices. For this, the industries use the distribution system of discoms and pay the additional charge. Based on their requirement and lower prices, industries purchase power from private operators.
Meanwhile, discoms filed petitions for determining additional surcharge to be levied on open access consumers from April 2023 to September 2023. The TSERC, exercising its powers under the Electricity Act of 2003, passed a resolution on additional surcharge after hearing the views of all stakeholders.
For as many as 11 companies, including the Federation of Telangana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI), Telangana Solar Open Access Developers Association (TSOADA), South Indian Cement Manufacturers Association (SICMA), TSERC directed to collect ₹0.30 instead of ₹9.86 for 213.29 million units of power procured under open access system last fiscal.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, TSERC chairman T. Sriranga Rao said that after careful consideration, they directed the discoms to collect the reduced price. “Open-access consumers procure the power from the third parties based on their requirement. Discoms claimed ₹210.20 crores additional surcharge from open-access consumers, but TSERC directed discoms to collect only ₹8.29 crore,” he said.
