CEA proposes sharp rise in fixed monthly power charges for consumers

NEW DELHI: Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has projected a nationwide overhaul of energy tariffs, recommending a crisp summation successful fixed monthly charges paid by consumers arsenic powerfulness distributors conflict to retrieve costs amid rising rooftop star adoption and migration of industries to captive power.The connection could yet mean consumers paying a larger information of their measure arsenic a compulsory monthly charge, careless of existent powerfulness consumption.In a report, which volition beryllium placed earlier the Forum of Regulators for implementation, CEA said discoms retrieve a ample portion of their fixed costs done per-unit energy charges alternatively of assured monthly payments, making their finances susceptible whenever request falls.While expenditure connected transmission, salaries, attraction of networks and paym-ents to powerfulness generators relationship for 38%-56% of a powerfulness utility’s cost, gross from fixed charges contributes lone 9%-20%, the study said.CEA noted that industries and affluent households shifting to rooftop solar, unfastened entree and captive powerfulness projects, sharply trim energy purchases from discoms but proceed relying connected the grid for backup supply.

The authorization has recommended a “calibrated and phased approach” for targeted betterment by progressively expanding fixed-cost betterment from home and agriculture consumers to 25% and from industrial, commercialized and organization categories to 100% by 2030. The fixed-cost betterment for the erstwhile could beryllium increased.The study besides suggested abstracted tariff structures for rooftop star and net-metering consumers.