Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 24: The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) today said that it has carried out load revisions in flat-rated areas, clarifying that there has been no tariff hike during the current financial year.
Addressing a press conference, Managing Director KPDCL, Massarat Ul Islam, emphasized that the load revision exercise, conducted in a calibrated manner, has been mistaken for a tariff hike.
“There is no tariff hike that has been implemented during the current financial year. KPDCL is not authorized to order any tariff hike, as such decisions are under the purview of the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission in the UT of Ladakh and J&K,” he stated.
He explained that the load revision exercise involves adjusting the agreed sanctioned load of consumers in flat-rated areas in accordance with the Supply Code and the Electricity Act.
“Most of these reports of protests regarding a tariff hike are from flat-rated areas. As per the Electricity Act, when KPDCL teams conduct assessments, they carry out the load revision, which is done in a calibrated manner and is often mistaken for a tariff hike,” he added.
KPDCL serves a base of 11.8 lakh consumers, of which 9.81 lakh are domestic. “Of the total, 68 percent of consumers are in flat-rated areas, and we have been consistently clarifying the difference between a hike and a load revision,” he said.
Explaining the load assessment process further, MD KPDCL noted, “During consumer assessments, we find many households using high-consumption gadgets such as geysers and steamers. Even one such gadget can consume 2 kW of electricity and the assessment reflects this usage.”
He also mentioned that some consumers have an agreed load of 0.5 kW or 0.75 kW, but actual consumption, determined after assessment, often exceeds 5, 7, or even 10 kW.
“We have not resorted to steep hikes in the load as there are clear directives that in flat-rated areas, the load enhancement must be done in a calibrated manner after proper assessment,” he said.
The MD KPDCL further informed that officials have been instructed to prepare a list of high-value consumers in their areas whose load will be revised accordingly after a physical inspection.
“We have also differentiated between poor and high-value consumers. There are individuals living in large mansions; directions have been issued to create a list of high-value consumers and revise their load after a door-to-door physical inspection,” he added.
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