GUWAHATI, July 23 � The Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) has proposed to realise an additional amount of 56 paise from the power consumers for each unit of power consumed by them with effect from August 1 next against the enhanced fuel charge. The additional amount will be realised as per the provisions of the Fuel and Power Purchase Price Adjustment (FPPPA) Formula Regulations, 2010 of the State.
Disclosing this at a press conference here, chairman-cum-managing director of the APDCL Subhash Chandra Das said that realization of this additional amount has become necessary due to the steep hike in the prices of natural gas effected by the Government of India with effect from June 1, 2010.
The financial implication of this hike in gas prices for the APDCL is Rs 254.3 crore per year, that is, � Rs 21.20 crore per month. It has to depend on gas-based power stations for about 48 per cent supply of its 450 MU monthly energy demand, Das added.
The increase in the gas prices has led to the rise in the power prices at the rate of between Rs 2 and Rs 2.78 per unit in the case of the NEEPCO-generated power and between Rs 1.27 and Rs 2.58 in the case of the power generated by the Assam Power Generation Company Ltd.
The Central Sector Generating Stations (CSGS), which include the NEEPCO, NTPC, and NHPC, have been issuing bills to the APDCL at the revised rates with effect from July 2010.
In the current financial year, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has revised the tariff of the CSGS and the Central Transmission Utility, that is � Power Grid Corporation of India.
This has been made effective from the financial year of 2009-10. The impact of these revisions of tariff has also added to the APDCL's power purchase-related additional cost, the APDCL CMD said.
The Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC) notified the FPPPA Regulation, 2010 on December 28, 2010 paving the way for the APDCL to recover the FPPPA-related additional charge from its retail consumers. The AERC also allowed the APDCL to levy 13 paise per unit from its consumers for FPPPA adjustment with effect from July, 2010.
The APDCL has worked out the total amount of FPPPA charge to be realized from its retail consumers as 69 paise per unit. The APDCL Board approved this amount on July 20 and the effective additional increase on account of FPPPA charge is worked out to be 56 paise per unit, said the APDCL CMD.
He also informed media persons that the FPPPA charge would be reviewed every quarter.
In reply to questions, the APDCL CMD said that the APDCL owes an amount of Rs 160 crore to other companies in the shape of current revenue, while it has to clear an amount of Rs 181 crore as arrear bills against the revised tariff.
If the bills are not paid within 60 days, the power companies can divert power to other companies and this will worsen the power scenario in the State.
The APDCL is now facing an average deficit of Rs 35 crore per month. With the recovery of the FPPPA amounts, it is expected that around Rs 22 crore could be recovered in a month. Another amount of Rs 7 crore would also come from the enhanced tariff of 25 paise effected as per the May 16, 2011 order of the AERC, he added.
It needs mention here that at present, the APDCL realises power tariff at the rate of Rs 3.25 per unit from that category of its domestic consumers, who have their total monthly consumption restricted to 120 units.
It charges power tariff at the rate of Rs 3.75 per unit from those domestic consumers, whose total monthly consumption is between 120 units and 240 units. From the third category of its domestic consumers, whose total monthly consumption is metered as beyond 240 units, he APDCL realises the tariff at the rate of Rs 4.25 per unit.
