No Power Tariff Hike In Delhi Again Amid COVID-19

On Friday, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) announced that it will not hike power tariffs in the city for 2020-21 in view of the coronavirus pandemic. The power regulator also waived the 20 percent surcharge under time of day (ToD) tariff for September to facilitate non-domestic, industrial, public utilities and domestic consumers due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the DERC said in a statement.

This would be the sixth year in a row that the residents of the National Capital have been spared from a hike. The new tariff schedule becomes effective from 1 September.

"The need and demands of power discoms have also been considered as far as possible," its chairman Justice (retired) S S Chauhan said.

However, it has increased the pension trust surcharge from the 3.80 percent to 5 percent for the erstwhile Delhi Vidyut Board employees.

To promote pollution-free transportation and clean environment, the Commission has decided to continue with subsidised tariff rates for e-rickshaw and e-vehicle category, it said. This announcement comes in the backdrop of the AAP-led Delhi government's announcement of incentives on the purchase of electric vehicles with benefits of up to Rs 30,000 for two-wheelers and Rs1.5 lakh for cars.

"Tariff for charging stations for E-Rickshaw/E-vehicle on single point delivery as notified in this Tariff Schedule shall also be applicable for charging of batteries at swapping facilities provided that such swapping facilities are exclusively used for swapping of batteries of E-Rickshaw/E-Vehicle only," the statement added.