OPINION: Need to restrain unfair and unjust tariff policies pursued by PSPCL

Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL), is a Government of Punjab company which apart from generating and transmitting power, it distributes power to General, Industrial and Agricultural consumers in the State of Punjab.

The PSPCL levies “Monthly Minimum Charges” on the Industrial Consumers which is not justified as the Corporation is not in a position to provide regular power supply to the consumers. During Summer season, many enterprises were even forced to work only 4 days a week and with further power cuts of 20 to 30%. The charging of minimum charges on the Consumers even when the corporation is not in a position to ensure continuity of power supply to its consumers is not justified.  In the early days the levy of charges were justified for the Power corporation’s survival as there were few takers of electric power in those days but now the position is different.

Hence, imposing the levy of “Monthly Minimum Charges”, therefore, is unfair. This practice of PSPCL should be restrained.

Further, during the power-cut period, the Industrial Consumers should be allowed to get their power supply from other sources i.e. using stand by generator set etc.  No levy or charges should be imposed by PSPCL when PSPCL is unable to supply power and subsequently the industrial consumers out source their power from other means.   

It is unfair and unwarranted on the part of PSPCL to levy charges for the services which are not being offered by them.

Moreover, there are instances that the different kinds of power-tariff are propelled up by Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) at one point of time or the other.  However, the PSPCL collects from the Industrial Consumers and other Consumers retrospectively – not from the date when the tariffs are raised by PSERC but from the back date.  This practice of the PSPCL is unfair and unjust.

The such charges levied by PSPCL should be stopped and already paid may be refunded to the consumers.

Keeping the above our averments in view, the Federation of the Associations of Small Industries of India (FASII) has written to the Director General (Investigation), Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practice Commission (MRTPC), New Delhi, requesting to do the needful in restraining the unfair and unjust tariff policies pursued by PSPCL and render justice to the Industrial and other Consumers.

*The author is National President of Federation of the Associations of Small Industries of India (FASII).

(Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author in this article are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of City Air News.)