The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) regrets low participation of public stakeholders in tariff preparation process even as it continues to invite objections and suggestion from them. A senior DERC official said that the objections to hike tariff, as being demanded by the power distribution companies (discoms), will be forwarded to the companies for their comments and will be discussed in an open public meeting scheduled to be held by the end of this month.

The commission has not released the number of objections it has received so far.

To increase consumer participation in the process, the commission has, so far, issued three public bulletins explaining the process of tariff preparation. “The commission hopes that stakeholders will be more involved in the process this time”, said the official.

DERC is likely to announce the new tariff by the end of July or sometime early in the month of August. The new tariff plan could significantly change the power scenario in the capital.

Post a recent Delhi high court order to DERC to prepare afresh the tariff plan by following due process under the Electricity Act, 2003, the commission is cautiously working over it.

The Delhi high court on May 23 had disposed of a petition that demanded implementation of the tariff order passed by DERC last year. The then chairman of the Berjinder Singh had ordered a slashing of rates noting that the three discoms operating in Delhi – BSES Rajdhani, BSES Yamuna and NDPL - reportedly had a surplus of Rs 3,577 crore. Petitioner Nand Kishore Garg had alleged that the same was stalled by a Delhi government order asking DERC to follow the National Tariff Policy and withdraw its order.

DERC now maintains that the last year’s proposal to significantly slash the tariff was Singh’s “personal opinion”.