The prime users of electricity in textile industry have rejected increase in power tariff, saying that this increase will make revival of textile industry more difficult in the days to come. They said they were waiting for the announcement of gas tariff for the Captive Power Plants (CPPs) and maintained that the case of prime users of electricity was not presented in a befitting way to the government.
They said the prime users were exposed to the tariff discrimination against the CPPs holders and present increase would be last nail to their coffin. However, Water and Power Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has made it clear in his past statements that the government would ensure level playing field for all the stakeholders in energy tariff. As per the notification, power tariff for industrial consumers has been increased ranging between Rs 3 to Rs 6.57/unit besides imposing 90 paisa equalisation surcharge.
In this way, power tariff for industrial consumers has reached Rs 18.90/unit, which was earlier set at Rs 12.77/unit. With the addition of 81 paisa per unit equalisation surcharge for all industrial consumers, the tariff for B-1 consumers has increased from Rs 10.51 to Rs 15.31 per unit. The B-1 TOD peak rate has increased to Rs 18.81 per unit from Rs 13.99 while off-peak rate will jump to Rs 16.31 per unit from Rs 8.22.
The B-2 tariff has gone up to Rs 14.81 per unit from Rs 9.14; B-2 TOD peak rate to Rs 18.81 per unit from Rs 12.77 and off-peak rate to Rs 13.11 per unit from Rs 8.01. The B-3 TOD peak rate has been raised to Rs 18.81 per unit from Rs 12.68 and off-peak rate to Rs 10 per unit from Rs 7.75. The B-4 TOD peak rate has been increased to Rs 15.31 per unit from Rs 12.37 and off-peak rate to Rs 9.91 per unit from Rs 7.46.
The prime users have urged the government to withdraw increase in power tariff and take it back to previous level keeping in view the odd situation persisting since November 2007. They said they need cheap electricity, and not merely electricity, to keep them financially viable in a highly competitive environment. Meanwhile, a few of the prime users are considering seriously of approaching to the court of law against the hike.
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