Power consumers in the state are likely to get a shock as power regulator Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Regularity Commission (UPSERC) is expected to announce a hike in power tariff on Thursday.

The UP Power Corporation limited (UPPCl) in its annual revenue requirement statement filed before the regulator had sought overall hike 22.66 per cent covering all categories of power consumers. 

Urban domestic power consumer are likely to face additional burden of 15 per cent, rural  consumers will bear the brunt of steep hike in tariff expected to be over 100 per cent.

In its proposal submitted to the UPERC, the UPPCl had sought a steep hike of 260 per cent to 350 per cent in the current power tariff for unmetered rural domestic consumers and 150 per cent hike for metered rural domestic consumers for the year 2017-18. It had also sought 60 per cent increase for farmers’ unmetered tube wells.

As for urban domestic consumers, the UPPCl had proposed an average 12 per cent increase in tariff depending on their monthly consumption. No tariff hike has been proposed in respect of small and heavy industries. The proposed hike in tariff for commercial consumers is around 15 per cent.

UPSERC sources said that the tariff order is ready and would be announced in lucknow on Thursday. The new tariff order is likely to be enforced from mid-December. 

The tariff hike was delayed for about two months as a result of civic elections in the state.  UPPCl had argued with the power regulator to announce tariff order before announcement of Urban local Bodies election by State Election Commission. The regulator however rejected the plea saying that the order would be announced only after public hearing with all stake holders in power sector. 

The UPPCl in its annual revenue requirement) filed before the regulator in August this year had proposed a hike in the tariff in rural consumers by around 300 per cent. Sources said the regulator agreed for only 100-150 percent hike.

Meanwhile, an office bearar of Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad urged the power regulator to sympathetically consider problems of consumers and reconsider the tariff hike proposed by UPPCl. 

He said that UPSERC has time till January 2, 2018 to announce the new tariff order, there is pressure from the UPPCl to announce it early.