Latest news with #HERC
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Industry association protests sharp spike in power tariff in Haryana
Gurgaon: Industrial bodies across the state have launched a collective protest against the recent spike in power tariffs, seeking intervention from the govt and Haryana Energy Regulatory Commission (HERC). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Excessive hikes in fixed charges and electricity rates caused financial strain and threatened business sustainability, the industrialists said, adding that while certain other sectors received free electricity, the industrial sector was levied a disproportionately high tariff on it. Fixed charges for industry were increased from Rs 165 per kVA per month to Rs 290 per kVA per month in April. This increase of Rs 125 per kVA per month means that small enterprises could face an increase of around Rs 15,000 per month, while mid-sized firms could see their energy bills rise by over Rs 40,000 monthly. The hike in tariff and fixed charges would mean an additional burden exceeding Rs 2,100 crore annually — Rs 1,195 crore under DHBVN and an estimated Rs 950 crore under UHBVN — on the state's industry, as calculated by the industry association. A meeting of confederation of Haryana industrial associations (CHIA), which took place on July 24 and marked the protests, was attended by representatives from 24 industrial associations from across the state, including Gurgaon, Bahadurgarh, Rewari, Sohna, Rohtak, Karnal, Faridabad, Rai, and Kundli. At the meeting, it was decided that a formal review petition will be filed before HERC and if a satisfactory resolution was not achieved, legal recourse through Punjab & Haryana High Court will be considered. The industrialists also sought privatisation of electricity distribution utilities in industrial areas, saying DHBVN and UHBVN failed in providing an uninterrupted 24x7 power supply. Deepak Maini, chairperson of progressive federation of trade and industry (PFTI), said the increase in tariffs adversely affected business sustainability and appeared unjustified. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Members of chamber of industries, Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon, Col Raj Singla and Ashok Kohli, expressed concerns over the decision-making process of HERC. Adequate opportunity was not given to industry representatives to present their views before implementation of the tariffs, they said. They also questioned the validity of annual revenue requirement (ARR) reports submitted by the utility companies to HERC, calling it inconsistent on the grounds that companies which previously reported profits are now suddenly claiming losses. Subhash Gupta, president of Kundli industries association, said that Haryana's industrial tariff was among the highest in the country, making it extremely difficult for MSME units to remain profitable. He also highlighted the alarming conduct of officials from the GST department in Kundli and nearby industrial zones, alleging that teams of 8 to 10 officers, using govt vehicles, forcibly enter factories, lock the main gates from the inside, seize the mobile phones of owners and staff, intimidate them, and blatantly extort bribes. Incidents such as these, he said, have led to a growing movement in the Kundli region against misuse of power by GST officials.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Energy tariff for industries: Gurugram-Faridabad industrialists seek regulator's intervention
A delegation of industrialists from Gurugram and Faridabad associated with the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) on Friday sought the intervention of Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) to bring the energy tariff for industries at par with neighbouring Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. In support of their submission, the delegation also presented a comparative study report highlighting how industries in neighbouring states benefited from lower electricity tariffs. The delegation met with HERC member (legal) Mukesh Garg to discuss their concerns related to the recently revised electricity tariffs for industrial units in Haryana. As per a statement, the representatives said that Haryana's industrial electricity tariff should be brought in line with neighbouring states to ensure industrial competitiveness and attract fresh investments. In support of their submission, the delegation also presented a comparative study report highlighting how industries in neighbouring states benefited from lower electricity tariffs. Responding to the concerns, HERC member Mukesh Garg said that the commission being a quasi-judicial body which can only consider petitions filed under the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003. He said that if any consumer has objections related to the fuel surcharge adjustment (FSA) or the tariff structure, they are required to file a formal petition before the commission, upon which an appropriate decision can be made. Garg said that the commission was hearing a review petition filed by the Yamunanagar-Jagadhri Chamber of Industry and Commerce and Laghu Udyog Bharati. He said that prior to issuing the tariff order for the financial year 2025-26 on March 28, the commission had conducted a public hearing in which all stakeholders were provided the opportunity to present their views.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Faridabad, Gurugram industrialists meet Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission to seek tariff revision
1 2 3 Chandigarh: In no mood to give up against increased electricity tariffs, a delegation of prominent industrialists from Gurugram and Faridabad, associated with the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), on Friday met Mukesh Garg, a member (law) of the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC), at the commission's office in Panchkula. The representatives submitted that Haryana's industrial electricity tariff should be brought in line with those of neighbouring states like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan to ensure the state's industrial competitiveness and attract fresh investments. In support of their submission, the delegation also presented a comparative study report highlighting how industries in neighbouring states benefit from lower electricity tariffs. Responding to the concerns, HERC member (law) Mukesh Garg clarified that the commission is a quasi-judicial body which can only act upon properly filed petitions under the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003. He stated that if any consumer has objections related to the Fuel Surcharge Adjustment (FSA) or the tariff structure, they are required to file a formal petition before the commission, upon which an appropriate decision can be made. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo He further informed that the commission is presently hearing a review petition filed by the Yamunanagar-Jagadhri Chamber of Industry and Commerce and Laghu Udyog Bharati. He also shared that prior to issuing the tariff order for the financial year 2025-26 on March 28, the commission conducted a public hearing in which all stakeholders were provided the opportunity to present their views. Garg assured that both he and the commission's chairperson Nand Lal Sharma are fully committed to ensuring strict adherence to the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, and that the interests of consumers remain paramount at all times. Present during the meeting were PHDCCI Haryana Chapter co-chair Shri Pranav Gupta, senior industrialist M K Gupta, IMT Industrial Association Faridabad president Pramod Rana, along with several other representatives. The delegation also submitted a formal memorandum requesting a review and possible revision of the electricity tariff. MSID:: 122907278 413 |
Hindustan Times
01-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Hike in power tariff: Former finance minister seeks review of HERC tariff order, files petition
Seeking a review of the increased electricity tariff in Haryana, former finance minister, Sampat Singh on Monday said that he has filed a review petition challenging the March 28 tariff order issued by the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC). The Congress leader said the regulator's order gave a tariff shock to consumers across all categories when they received their electricity bills in June 2025. During a briefing at Haryana Congress office on Monday, Singh said that there were widespread public protests against the new tariff regime across the state. (HT File) During a briefing at Haryana Congress office on Monday, Singh said that there were widespread public protests against the new tariff regime across the state. Raising concerns over the pricing mechanism adopted by the power utilities, the former minister said that the power utilities were purchasing 7,964.28 crore units of power at a cost of ₹ 3.12 per unit. But the same is being sold to consumers at an average rate of ₹ 7.29 per unit,' he said. Singh also pointed out that out of the total power purchased, only 6,916 crore units were reaching consumers, implying that the transmission and distribution losses exceeded 22%. Referring to the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) undertaken by the Haryana government in September 2015, which covered ₹ 34,000 crore of liabilities of the power utilities, he said that post-UDAY, the power distribution companies reported a profit of ₹ 800 crore for the first time in March 2021. 'However, instead of reducing the tariffs, the burden on consumers has been increased,' he said. The Congress leader said domestic consumers now faced fixed charges ranging between ₹ 50 to ₹ 75 per kW. Additionally, per unit charges had been raised by 25% to 50%. This is the first time that fixed charges have been introduced for domestic consumers. Besides the telescopic slab system of consumption of power had been given a go by. Commercial consumers had been adversely affected by the merger of their category with LT and HT supply, raising fixed charges from ₹ 165 to ₹ 290 per kVA, and per unit charges from ₹ 6.65 to ₹ 6.95. He also criticised the continuation of a 47 paise per unit fuel surcharge adjustment that was supposed to end in June 2024.
The Hindu
30-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Congress leader challenges Haryana power tariff hike, files review petition
Senior Congress leader and former Minister Sampat Singh has filed a review petition before the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) challenging the recent electricity tariff hike that has sparked protests in the State. The tariff revision, which came into effect in April, has been met with resistance from various consumer categories, including industrial associations and domestic users. Prof. Singh, in his petition, has sought a public hearing to address the pressing concerns of consumers. He described the HERC's order as a 'tariff shock', which was experienced by consumers across all categories when they received their electricity bills in June. The Congress leader also questioned the pricing mechanism adopted by power utilities. 'The utilities are purchasing 7,964.28 crore units of power at ₹3.12 per unit, while selling it to consumers at an average rate of ₹7.29 per unit,' he said at a press conference in Chandigarh. According to Prof. Singh, out of the total power purchased, only 6,916 crore units are reaching consumers, implying transmission and distribution losses exceeding 22%, which are effectively being passed on to consumers. He referred to the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) undertaken by the Haryana government in September 2015, which had recovered ₹34,000 crore in liabilities of power utilities. Prof. Singh pointed out that post-UDAY, the discoms reported a profit of ₹800 crore for the first time in March 2021, but instead of reducing tariffs, the burden on consumers has increased. The Congress leader highlighted the impact of the tariff hike on domestic consumers, who now face fixed charges ranging from ₹50 to ₹75 per kW. Additionally, per unit charges were raised by 25-50%, with fixed charges being introduced for domestic consumers for the first time. Commercial consumers have also been adversely affected by the merger of their category with low tension (LT) and high tension (HT) supply, raising fixed charges from ₹165 to ₹290 per kVA and per unit charges from ₹6.65 to ₹6.95. Prof. Singh also criticised the continuation of a 47 paise per unit Fuel Surcharge Adjustment that was supposed to end in June 2024. Furthermore, he highlighted the ₹8,000-crore defaulting dues of around 22 lakh consumers, warning that the remaining consumers are indirectly bearing this cost. Meanwhile, several industrial associations, including the Manesar Industries Welfare Association, NCR Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Bahadurgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, have separately written to Power Minister Anil Vij and Chief Minister Nayab Saini, seeking a rollback of the tariff hike. They have termed the hike an 'additional financial burden' for micro, small, and medium enterprises. However, Mr. Vij has claimed that approximately 94% of electricity consumers in Haryana fall under Category-I (connected load up to 2 kW and monthly consumption up to 100 units) and Category-II (connected load up to 5 kW), and most of their bills have decreased. He emphasised that there has been no change in the electricity tariff for agricultural consumers. For HT consumers, the tariff revision from 2024-25 to 2025-26 shows a moderate increase of 7% to 10% depending on load and consumption. The Minister added that in the LT category, the increase among various consumers is relatively moderate, ranging from 4% to 7%. The Minister also compared Haryana's electricity tariffs with neighbouring States, claiming that Haryana charges significantly lower electricity tariffs for both LT and HT consumer categories, making it a cost-effective option. He pointed out that in neighbouring States, fixed charges go up to ₹450 per kW for LT and ₹475 per kW for HT categories, while energy charges go up to ₹8.95 per unit for LT and ₹7.75 per unit for HT categories.
