Mumbai, March 29 (IANS) About 10.5 lakh electricity consumers of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST), which is a Licensee for electricity distribution in the island city area of Mumbai, will get relief in the power tariff from April 1.
The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) in its order released on late Friday night on BEST’s tariff petition has approved a tariff reduction of 9.82 per cent in 2025-26, 4.16 per cent in 2026-27, 0.39 per cent in 2027-28, 2.52 per cent in 2028-29 and 7.84 per cent in 2029-30.
The MERC has approved a net surplus of Rs 297.30 crore as against the net surplus of Rs 71.50 crore as claimed by BEST, after truing up for FY 2022-23 to FY 2023-24, provisional truing up for FY 2024-25. MERC has tried to strike a balance between the consumer interest and the legitimate expenses of the Distribution Licensee.
“The main reasons for the overall decrease in tariff are Power Procurement from TPC-G’s thermal units at Technical Minimum, discontinue of power procurement from TPC-G’s Unit 5 from FY 2029-30 onwards, procurement of balance of power procurement from Short-Term Renewable Energy over the 5th Control Period (2029-30) and reduction in transmission, state load dispatch centre and state transmission utility charges based on annual revenue requirement being approved in respective petitions,” said MERC.
For continued promotion of electric vehicles (EVs) in the state, the MERC has approved a single part tariff for EV charging stations at high tension (HT) and low tension (LT) voltage levels which is linked with the average retail cost of supply approved for the respective years of the 5th control period. MERC had approved a tariff of Rs 8.24/kVAh for HT EV charging, and for LT EV charging, the tariff will be Rs 8.07/kVAh in 2025-26.
In continuation with existing orders and to support the mass transport means and bulk consumers, Wheeling Charges shall continue to be not applicable to Railways, Metro, Monorail and other consumers taking supply on EHV (110/132 kV) voltage level.
Further, MERC has decided to continue the levy of Rs 0.25/kWh as Green Power Tariff to the consumer opting for meeting its power requirement through renewable sources. Such Green Power Tariff shall be in addition to the tariff approved in the order.
All consumers (Extra High Voltage, High Voltage and Low Voltage) shall be eligible to opt for renewable power on payment of the Green Power Tariff. Distribution Licensee shall provide the facility of requesting Green Power Tariff through its web portal, mobile app or any other digital mode for the convenience of consumers.
The green attribute of energy consumed by a consumer by paying a green tariff shall remain with such consumer.
The distribution licensee shall not count such energy towards its RPO fulfilment. MERC has introduced the revised Time of Day (ToD) Tariff for the BEST consumers having a rebate during the solar hours.
The benefit of the TOD Rebate of Rs 0.50/kWh is also made applicable for consumers who fall under LT I – Residential category, subject to the installation of smart meters.
–IANS
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