No Plans for Electricity Tariff Hike in Odisha, Confirms Deputy Chief Minister
24 Dec 2024 2:14 PM IST
A high-voltage power transmission line in Odisha. (Right) Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo.
Bhubaneswar: Electricity consumers in Odisha can heave a sigh of relief as Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo confirmed on Tuesday that there are no immediate plans to increase power tariffs in the state. This assurance comes amid speculation following a proposal by the Grid Corporation of Odisha (GRIDCO) to the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC).
Addressing the media, Singh Deo dismissed rumors about a tariff hike. “No discussion has been held on increasing the electricity tariff. At present, there is no plan to hike the energy tariff for any consumer group,” he stated.
Supporting this, energy department secretary Vishal Dev highlighted that electricity tariffs have remained unchanged in Odisha for the last two years. “The OERC will make the final decision on the electricity tariff after considering inputs from all stakeholders. However, it's worth noting that there has been no tariff hike for the past two years,” Dev added.
GRIDCO, which handles power transmission and bulk supply in the state, has proposed a tariff adjustment of Rs 3.82 per unit in its Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) submission to the OERC. However, the company emphasized that this is part of a standard annual procedure and does not directly impact consumers.
“This is a routine annual process. Odisha continues to have one of the lowest power purchase costs in the country, second only to states like Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim,” said GRIDCO chairman and managing director Trilochan Panda.
The OERC is expected to conduct hearings and seek feedback from stakeholders before making a decision. For now, consumers can rest assured that no immediate changes in electricity tariffs are planned.
Addressing the media, Singh Deo dismissed rumors about a tariff hike. “No discussion has been held on increasing the electricity tariff. At present, there is no plan to hike the energy tariff for any consumer group,” he stated.
Supporting this, energy department secretary Vishal Dev highlighted that electricity tariffs have remained unchanged in Odisha for the last two years. “The OERC will make the final decision on the electricity tariff after considering inputs from all stakeholders. However, it's worth noting that there has been no tariff hike for the past two years,” Dev added.
GRIDCO, which handles power transmission and bulk supply in the state, has proposed a tariff adjustment of Rs 3.82 per unit in its Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) submission to the OERC. However, the company emphasized that this is part of a standard annual procedure and does not directly impact consumers.
“This is a routine annual process. Odisha continues to have one of the lowest power purchase costs in the country, second only to states like Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim,” said GRIDCO chairman and managing director Trilochan Panda.
The OERC is expected to conduct hearings and seek feedback from stakeholders before making a decision. For now, consumers can rest assured that no immediate changes in electricity tariffs are planned.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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