Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) has directed the two distribution licensees in the State – APSPDCL and APEPDCL – to provide the details of cost of service, cross-subsidy and government subsidy on the overleaf of the monthly electricity bills issued to consumers from April.
Chairman of the Commission Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy while releasing the retail power supply tariff for 2020-21 here on Monday said the direction has been given as the Commission felt that the consumers should know such details. Further, the Discoms have been directed to print small booklets containing tariff schedule and other relevant information useful to the consumers in the vernacular language in adequate numbers and make them available in all their offices for sale on reasonable cost.
The Commission, however, rejected the Discoms proposal to procure (purchase) power from private producers (power plants) not having any binding agreements in view of the surplus power generation for 2020-21 after taking into account the energy available from wind and solar sources.
It has extended the benefit of limiting the penalties only to the extent of excess demand over contracted demand to the industry by suitably modifying the penalty condition. The licensees have been told to obtain permission of the Commission for their investment proposals.
It has also reduced the capacitor surcharge from the existing 25% to 10% to protect the interests of small consumers.
With a view to ensuring prompt action on the compensation claims by the farmers in whose lands the transmission lines are laid, the Commission has decided to sensitise the District Collectors since the district-level committee led by them decide on such compensation.
It has also told the Discoms to prepare a roadmap for implementation of energy conservation and energy efficiency measures by themselves and by the consumers on a large scale.
