Tangedco to change agri, hut services energy calculation methodology

CHENNAI: As the Centre has directed the discoms to claim subsidies based only on unit consumption from April 1, Tangedco has decided to change its energy consumption calculation methodology for the agriculture and hut services.

As the services enjoy free power supply, remain predominantly unmetered in the state, Tangedco claims subsidies from the state based on motor pump sets horsepower basis for agriculture services and based on the number of services for hut services.

“Ministry of Power has insisted to claim subsidy for agriculture and hut services from April 1, based on unit consumption and has furnished a methodology for calculation of feeder-wise agriculture and hut consumption,” a Tangedco official said.

According to the methodology, the monthly reading of the 11/22 KV feeder meters would be taken into account for calculating the energy consumption of the agriculture and hut services.

From the meter reading, the standard transmission and distribution losses, feeder-wise HT consumption and LT consumption would be reduced to arrive at the hut and agriculture consumption.

The majority of agricultural service connections have no energy meter.

For these connections, the subsidy paid by the state government to Tangedco is based on the connected load in HP (horsepower). For service connections with energy meters subsidy is paid on the basis of energy consumed.

As per the last year’s tariff order, the government would pay a subsidy of Rs 3,550 per HP per annum for unmetered connections and Rs 4.46 per unit for metered services.

The government pays a subsidy of Rs 300 per month per connection for the hut services.