Nagpur: Consumers of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) would have to shell out extra money from the new year as the company has increased the rate of Fuel Adjustment Charge (FAC). This hike comes on the back of an already steep hike of 37 percent in slab rates of power distributed by the state run power distribution company.
The hike in FAC is meant to cover-up for the expensive power purchased during the peak summer season to ensure citizens get uninterrupted supply. The increased FAC will be reflected in the month of January for the power usage from the month of December 2023. MSEDCL has already got approval from Maharashtra Energy Regulatory Commission (MERC) about passing on the burden of high power rates to consumers across all categories.
Today’s Rate
Mon 18 Nov. 2024
The increase as per energy experts will be in the range of 25 to 65 paise/unit translating into an increase in bills from Rs 300 at least for the residential category consumers. In fact, MERC had ordered MSEDCL in 2020, while deciding the Multi Year Tariff petition, to add FAC compulsorily to consumer bills. As such, MSEDCL started recovery through the mechanism of FAC from April 2020 onwards itself, said a circular issued by Chief Engineer (Power Purchase), MSEDCL.
In fact, there is no change in FAC component from November to December and it is constant at 0.10 paise/unit for domestic in 1-100 units range; 0.25/unit in 101-300; 0.45/unit in 301-500 units and 0.60/unit in 301-500 units and 0.65/unit in 500 units and above. Besides the domestic category, even the industrial sector of the State is also going to shell out extra money as they are going to have to pay in the range of 30 to 40 paise per unit.
In the recent past, electric vehicles sales have been buoyant and those having it are a happy lot, owing to the ongoing issue of truckers due to which there is scarcity of fuel. But the extra FAC is going to play spoilsport when the bills for December are received by the customers across the State, excluding Mumbai. This year, the hike in power tariff was one of the steepest in the history and on top of that adjustment for costly power purchase would be double whammy for the consumers across all categories, feel the experts in the field.
