Tangedco proposes 4-fold hike for new connections

CHENNAI: Consumers applying for a new domestic electricity connection would see a substantial increase in the charges, with Tangedco proposing to calculate the actual load using a new formula.

Till now, the consumers were charged as per the load requested in the application. But Tangedco has now proposed to calculate the load demand based on the total floor area or load applied by the consumers – whichever is higher.

In the tariff petition for 2022-23, the State-run utility said that apart from the actual load demanded by the consumer in the application, it would also calculate the load based on the total floor area of the dwelling unit based on the applicant’s input. Whichever is higher will be considered. “Necessary provision for the same may be added in the regulation and application format may be revised accordingly,” it said.

If a consumer applied for a four-kilowatt load for a 1,000 square feet dwelling unit, Tangedco would charge the applicant for eight KW (100 sq ft is equal to 0.8 kW). Under the existing tariff, the consumer would have to pay Rs 13,250 towards registration charges, development charges, security deposit and meter caution deposit for a 4 kW load.

If the TNERC approves the proposal, the consumer would be asked to pay charges for an 8 kW load at Rs 54,000, said S Neelakanta Pillai, founder, Citizen’s Contribution in Democracy.

“How can the Tangedco decide on the consumer’s power demand,” he questioned. He said that it would impact the existing consumers as well when they apply for additional load or tariff change.

‘Will file PIL if load based on floor area’

Commenting on Tangedco’s move to increase the charges levied for new connection, K Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, said the utility made such a proposal in the TNERC’s code review meeting last month.

“I strongly objected to it. Who are you to decide on the consumer’s power load? You are only a licensee,” he contended. Pointing out that Tangedco has already illegally implemented such a provision for group houses or villas, he said that in the online application for such dwelling units, the consumers were asked to first fill in how many bedrooms were there to determine the actual load.

“If the consumer’s house has four bedrooms, they would be asked to pay charges for 14 kW load. But there are no such provisions in the TNERC. What they were doing illegally for the group housing, they want to legalise for all the consumers,” he alleged. Kathirmathiyon added that if the regulator approved the utility’s proposal to determine the load based on the floor area, he would challenge the move legally by filing a public interest litigation.