Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (MPERC) has turned down a petition of three state-owned power distribution companies for determination of Aggregate Revenue Requirement (ARR) for 2022-27 and a tariff hike proposal for 2022-23.
Keeping in view the concern of stakeholders and in the interest of obtaining substantive comments on the tariff proposal, it was felt appropriate to direct the three firms to file a fresh petition on the issue in accordance with MPERC (Terms and Conditions for Determination of Tariff for Supply and Wheeling of Electricity and Methods and Principles for Fixation of Charges) Regulations, 2021, the order from the regulatory body said.
The order, issued by MPERC chairperson SPS Parihar and member Mukul Dhariwal on January 25, also said public hearings scheduled on February 8, 9 and 10 related to the petition have been cancelled.
Rajendra Agrawal, retired additional chief engineer, told PTI the distribution companies had filed the tariff petition for 2022-23 on November 30 last year, before the notification for the 2021 regulations was published on December 3.
"I and a few others had objected to it stating the commission should hear it as per the notification of new regulations 2021, not according to the old regulation. The new regulation 2021 will apply for determination of tariff and other issues for the period of years 2022-23 to 2026-27 not the old regulation," Agrawal said.
The tariff petition sought minimum charges levy on different categories of consumers but the new regulation 2021 does not have such a provision in it, he added.
(With inputs from PTI)
