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WBERC approves new tariffs

Our Bureau

KOLKATA, July 20

IN its final order on the tariff review petition of West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd (WBPDCL), the West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (WBERC) on Thursday approved new tariffs, though at levels lower than asked for.

With this, the WBERC sets the ball rolling. The review petitions of the RPG-controlled utility CESC, the West Bengal State Electricity Board (WBSEB) and the smaller power generating companies would be settled now one after the other, WBERC sources told B usiness Line.

WBPDCL, is now the State-owned umbrella power generating company under which the thermal generating plants of the West Bengal State Electricity Board, have been brought from July 1, 2001.

However the tariff revision of the WBERC for WBPDCL for 2000-01 and 2001-02 covers only the 6x210 MW Kolaghat Thermal Power Station, since Bakreswar Thermal station, the other generating station of WBPDCL was not declared operational commercially at the time of the tariff review petition.

Sources said that for 2000-01, WBPDCL had been allowed a tariff rate of Rs 1.51 per unit against an appeal of Rs 1.67 per unit and for the current fiscal, Rs 1.42 per unit against the demand of Rs 1.64 per unit. Their current rate is Rs 1.51 per unit.

In the 40-page order, the Commission has explained how the rates have been calculated, indicating that the proposed rates will come into force from August 2001. If unhappy with the order, WBPDCL can appeal to the High Court.

Established in 1999, the WBERC started functioning in 2000. It has since appointed the Hyderabad-based Administrative Staff College of India as its consultant on tariff review.