Guwahati, 2 June: People are now frustrated with the frequent hike in electricity charges. Recently, Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) had alarmed the customers by introducing the Prepaid (advance payment) meter. Apart from this, APDCL has also increased the fixed charge by Rs 10 per kW with effect from Last April.
Now just a month later, ABDCL has increased the power tariff from 30 paise to 70 paise per unit in the name of buying fuel and power. Accordingly, domestic consumers of lower strength will have to pay an increased electricity charge of 30 paise per unit and the rest of the other customers by 70 paise per unit.
APDCL had issued a notification on May 27 stating that the consumer would have to pay the bill for the month of May received in June at this increased fee. According to the said notification, customers using 0.5 to 1.5 kW of electricity per day will have to pay an additional 30 paise per unit. From now on, domestic consumers of lower strength will have to pay the electricity charge of Rs 4.35 per unit. On the other hand, customers using 120 units and 121-240 units every month will have to pay an additional 30 paise per unit. Customers using 120 units per month will have to pay Rs 5.25 per unit and customers using 121-240 units per month will have to pay Rs 7.30 per unit.
Similarly, customers using electricity up to 5-30 kW will have to pay 70 paise per unit. Government primary, secondary and higher secondary schools will also have to pay electricity charges of 70 paise per unit, the notification said. In addition, agriculture, small industries, stations charging electric vehicles, etc. which use 30 kilowatts of power will have to pay an electricity charge of 70 paise per unit.
Similarly, domestic consumers using 5-30 kW of power will have to pay Rs 8.15 per unit and the commercial customer will have to pay Rs 8.60 per unit.