Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has submitted an application to the Regulatory Commission, seeking an additional surcharge of 16 paise per unit for electricity consumption over a three-month period. The board claims that due to the increased cost of fuel required to generate electricity from January to March this year, an additional expenditure of 94 crore rupees was incurred to purchase electricity. To recover these costs, KSEB intends to levy a surcharge of 16 paise per unit.
Furthermore, the board has also made a request to the commission for an additional surcharge of 30 paise per unit to compensate for the excess expenditure incurred from October to December 2022. The commission is currently reviewing this request, and the decision on whether to impose the surcharge will be announced soon. If approved, the surcharge will come into effect from June 1st, with the sanctioned amount determined by the commission.
At present, consumers are charged a surcharge of nine paise per unit, which is set to expire at the end of this month. The commission is gathering evidence regarding the new surcharge application and will hold hearings to consider the views of consumers on the proposed draft rules. Notably, the central government had previously mandated the monthly collection of surcharges, and Kerala has made preparations to align with this requirement.
The upcoming hearing, scheduled for May 24th, will provide an opportunity for consumers to express their opinions and concerns regarding the proposed rules. This engagement aims to ensure transparency and fairness in the decision-making process, taking into account the impact of the surcharge on the general public.
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