New power tariff to darken consumers' nights

“In view of discouraging the vast consumption of electricity amidst its record shortfall of over 4,500 megawatt the govt has made this policy, according to which consumers will have to pay extra charges up to 50 per cent for using electricity in the peak hours (evening time),” sources said.

Under the ‘Use of Time Tariff’, the government has withdrawn the facility provided to the consumers for using less electricity, sources said. Citing an example, they explained that government would charge uniformly on each unit irrespective of using less or more quantity of electricity. Earlier, consumers paid less on less consumption and tariff increased with more consumption of electricity. Now, a consumer of one unit or a consumer of one thousand units would have to pay equally on consumed units.

However, another source disclosed that in order to discourage the use of extra electricity, government had devised a new strategy to charge certain amount upto 200 units, but if the consumer exceed this limit and uses 201 units, he has to pay the rate of tariff levied under the second slab of 400 units.

They further said that tariff of ‘Time of Use’ was being implemented only on the consumers having three phases and not on those who had one phase connection.

As Wapda has devised the strategy of ToF to double charge when consumer used electricity in the evening, it is ironic that they have not installed yet any devise which could bifurcate that power has been used in evening or in day.