On the review petition filed by Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA), against September 12 order, the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), has announced a new policy.
The MERC has once again come out in support of the consumers by providing relief to consider LEAD PF for six months grace period from September 18 to March 19 and the differential amount calculated by earlier method billing shall be refunded conditionally.
This change will be effective from the date of the original order, providing much respite to a number of consumers, who would have suffered on this count where consumers not only missed on their power factor incentive but incurred huge penalty as well for power factor reasons.
The refund would be given starting from the billing month of April but on the condition that consumer maintains his PF above 0.9. Hence it becomes imperative that consumers take note of this and ensure their system competence to achieve PF more than 0.9. But this time, they may do so without the fear of PF going on the Lead side as Lead side has also been included in the calculations.
Now only the appropriate changes, which are to be made in the Vidarbha power incentive scheme in lieu of the changes made in the various incentives given by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) in the electric bill are keenly awaited by the industry to restore the incentives to earlier level before the new tariff policy was declared on September 12, 2018. VIA has appreciated the proactive role played by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also hold the energy portfolio.
VIA vice-president R B Goenka, president Atul Pande, chairman, Energy Forum, VIA Prashant Mohota, addressed the press conference to discuss the MERC order issued on January 2, 2019 against the review petition filed by VIA on tariff order.
The MERC in its order has allowed to incentivize leading power factor and directed the MSEDCL to refund the excess amount collected with some conditions.
Also, present on the occasion were former president, VIA Prafull Doshi, secretary Dr Suhas Buddhe, and former president Pravin Tapadia.
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