Electricity usage above 200 units in Delhi to cost more, Atishi slams Centre

Power consumers in Delhi with monthly usage of over 200 units will have to pay more after an 8 per cent hike in the power purchase adjustment cost (PPAC), prompting Minister Atishi to allege that electricity is getting costlier in the city due to the Centre’s “mismanagement”.

Power consumers in Delhi with monthly usage of over 200 units will have to pay more after an 8 per cent hike in the power purchase adjustment cost (PPAC), prompting Minister Atishi to allege that electricity is getting costlier in the city due to the Centre's "mismanagement".

Ms. Atishi, the power Minister in the city government, told reporters on Monday that the hike will not impact consumers whose electricity consumption is 200 units or below. There will be a 8 per cent hike in PPAC surcharge in power bills of those consumers who do not get subsidy, she said.

"I just want to tell the consumers that only the Centre is responsible for this hike. It has forced the use of imported coal, which is 10 times costlier than domestic coal. This is despite no lack of coal mines or availability of coal in the country," she said.

The PPAC is revised every three months and it can increase or decrease depending on the prevailing prices of fuel such as coal and gas used in power generation.

Harish Khurana, the BJP's Delhi unit spokesperson, however, blamed the hike on a "nexus" between the discoms and the AAP government.

"The AAP is shamelessly claiming that the PPAC increases in the summer and decreases in the winter every year. The reality is that the PPAC was hiked from 16 per cent to 22 per cent last year and it has again been hiked," Mr. Khurana claimed.

The people of Delhi get free electricity on monthly consumption of 200 units. Those consuming 201-400 units get 50 per cent subsidy.