Ambani-Adani power switch won't affect consumers

MERC clears Rs 18,800-crore deal between companies with the rider on tariff; to come into effect in July

The suburbs will soon have a new power distributor in Adani Transmission Limited (ATL). The good news is that the transaction between the purchaser and the seller, Reliance Infra, which owns the current supplier, Reliance Energy, wouldn't have any adverse impact on the monthly bills of 30 lakh consumers. The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) cleared a much-debated Rs 18,800-crore deal between the two companies on Thursday, telling them in an official order to ensure that the tariff payable by the consumers was not increased.

Confirming that the tariff will continue to be determined on the basis of regulated books of accounts and the companies should not claim any amount from the consumers on account of the proposed transaction, MERC offered relief to the interveners, consumer activists and political parties like the Congress, which had been fearing a tariff hike after the deal.

MECR said, "Further, the balance sheet of REGSL (Reliance's generation arm) will reflect the amount paid by ATL to RInfra, i.e., Rs 12,101 crore, for 100% shareholding in terms of equity and debt. The sum of equity and debt approved by the commission is much lower, around Rs 5,600 crore (R3,400 crore of equity and Rs 2,200 crore of debt). ATL should ensure that the higher debt amount in REGSL's books compared to the regulatory books of accounts does not adversely affect REGSL's credit rating, which in turn could increase the cost of debt and thereby the ARR and tariff recoverable from consumers," said MERC.

RInfra said in a statement that the deal should be closed by July this year and proceeds of the transformative transaction should entirely be used to help it become debt  free, with up to Rs 3,000 crore cash surplus.

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