CM asks discoms to ready report on Mumbai power tariff uniformity

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today directed three discoms -- Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport undertaking, Tata Power and Reliance Energy -- to undertake a study and submit a detailed report on maintaining uniformity in power tariff for the city.

The issue of increased power tariffs for Mumbai consumers was discussed at a marathon meeting held in Mantralaya by Fadnavis.

Political parties often stage protests over the hiked electricity charges which could turn into a major political issue in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections due in early 2017.

According to sources in Energy Department, the Minister for Non-conventional and Renewable Energy Chandrashekhar Bawankule was instructed by Chief Minister to convene a meeting to thrash out a solution.

"The power supplying companies complained of the incurring transmission and supply losses. At the marathon meeting, the Chief Minister expressed satisfaction over the power companies strengthening their distribution network in the city," they said.

Fadnavis directed that steps be taken for operating the unit six of Tata Power Company at Trombay on coal instead of oil.

He further instructed that reservations be made in Development Plan for power sub-stations and allocation of land be made accordingly.

The CM also gave orders to make changes in Development Control Rules (DCR) 1991 policy so as to enable construction of underground power sub-stations.

The Congress, led by city unit president Sanjay Nirupam, has been agitating on the issue of hike in power tariff.

While Reliance supplies electricity mainly to western suburbs and some central suburbs till Vikhroli in Mumbai, BEST caters to consumers in South Mumbai, and MSEB (Mahadiscom) to rest of state.

Their charges differ for residential, commercial and industrial establishments.