Kathmandu, Oct. 27
The Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC)
has slashed the electricity tariff for consumers.
The rate for domestic consumers is cut down
by 2.84 per cent on an average. According to the commission, domestic consumers
of 5 Ampere, 15 Ampere and 30 Ampere who are using electricity from 151 units
to 250 units in a month from the single-phase distribution lines will get Rs.
25 discount on the minimum tariff.
The new rates will be applicable from the
Nepali month of Mangsir (mid-November to mid-December) and billing will start
from the month of Poush, mid-December.
With the new rates, minimum charges for
domestic consumers are set at Rs. 100, Rs. 125 and Rs. 150 respectively for 5,
15 and 25 Ampere per month. Likewise, charges for customers using more than 400
units in a month from the same setup are reduced by Rs. 25. After reduction in
the tariff, new minimum charges per month are Rs. 150, Rs. 175, Rs. 200 and Rs.
250.
"For deprived families using up to 20
units of electricity from 5 Ampere meter system, there would be no energy
charges but only Rs. 30 minimum charges," said the commission.
Tariff for single-phase domestic consumers
is reduced by 50 paisa per unit and brought down to Rs. 9.5 per unit while Rs.
1 is reduced for the customers using above 400 units of energy and set at Rs.
11 per unit.
"As per the policy of the government
to promote higher consumption of electricity, the tariff for the domestic
consumers using more than 151 units in a month is reduced to motivate them to
use induction cooker and other electric devices," read a statement of the
TRC.
Similarly, tariff for domestic consumers
accessing electricity from three-phase lines is reduced by Rs. 1 in the dry
season and Rs. 1.5 in wet season.
A significant announcement is made for the
irrigation facility. With the aim of promoting agriculture and support farmers,
the rate for electricity for tube-well and other irrigation facilities is
reduced by 40.69 per cent.
Irrigation consumers accessing electricity
through TOD meter from 33 KV supply lines need to pay Rs. 2 per unit if they
use energy from 11:00 PM in the evening to 5:00 AM in the morning.
Consumers for the same facility without a
TOD meter need to pay Rs. 2.5 per unit.
The commission said that meter upgrading
for the consumers accessing electricity from single-phase and three-phase will
be done free of cost.
It has estimated that the income of Nepal
Electricity Authority will be Rs. 94.72 billion in the current Fiscal Year
2021/22.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 28 October 2021.
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