GOA POWER HIKE DETAILS MADE KNOWN
by Frederick Noronha

PANJIM, May 14: Get ready for the shock, Goa's new power tariffs
are coming from July 1. Slowly, as the full extent of the new
government's proposals become known, it becomes clear that the
consumer will have to face the pinch both directly and
indirectly.

DOMESTIC, NON-COMMERCIAL: Under the new rates, low-tension
domestic and non-commercial users will have to pay 100 paisa per
unit for the first 50 units, 150 paisa per unit for the next 200
units, 220 paisa per unit for the subsequent 250 units, and 260
paisa per unit for anything above 500 units.

Included in this category are private houses, bungalows,
charitable and educational institutions approved by the Goa or
Central Boad, colleges affiliated to the Goa University, and
religious institutions.

Such power can be used for lights, fans, radios, domestic heating
and other household appliances. Minimum monthly charge in this
category will be Rs 30 per month for the first 500 watts, and Rs
25 per month for every additional 500 watts of connected load.

LOW-INCOME: Consumers of the low-income group given a connected
load of two points, will have to pay a fixed Rs 20 per month. In
case of unauthorised increase beyond the allocated two points,
penal charges of Rs 20 per month per point will be charged.

MIXED CATEGORY: Houses which offer rent back facilities,
hospitals, residence-cum-offices which are not covered under the
category of "domestic, non-commercial"  shall be charged at a
higher rate.

They will have to pay Rs 2.30 per unit for the first 400 units,
and Rs 3 per unit for ever unit above 400 units. Minimum charge
in this category will be Rs 30 for the first 500 watts and Rs 25
for every additional 500 watts.

COMMERCIAL: Shops, offices, railway stations, race courses
(through there are none in Goa yet), computer training schools,
photo-studios, photo-copying centres, and colour labs are to pay
a separate rate.

Include in this category too are private guest houses, messes,
KTC bus stands, private agricultural nurseries, film studios, X-
Ray installations, laundries, dry cleaners, cinema theatres,
video parlours, film recording and dubbing studios, All India
Radio and and Doordarshan station and studios.

Further included in this "commercial" category are telephone
exchanges, petrol pumps, service stations, battery charging
units, tyre vulcanizing centres, ice-cream parlous, bars and cold
drink houses, commercial complexes, petrol, diesel and oil
storage plants, for lights, fans, TV, radio, heating and other
appliances.

Such units will be charged at Rs 2.80 per unit (first fifty
units), Rs 3.80 (subsequent 450 units), Rs 4.35 (next 1500
units), and Rs 4.25 for every unit above 2000 units.

Monthly minimum charges will be Rs 80 for the first 500 watts and
Rs 30 for every additional 500 watts or part thereof. Three-phase
connections will be charged at a minimum rate of Rs 150 per month
for the first 3 KW and Rs 40  for every additional 1 KW or part
thereof.

MOTIVE POWER: Units requiring motive power for their work will be
levied a separate rate. This rate is for industrial units,
workshops, flour mills, wet grinding, rice mills, milk dairies,
ice cream manufacturing units, dairy testing process, garment
manufacturing units, and tyre retreading units.

It will also be applicable to ice manufacturing plants, bakeries,
motive power loads, industrial units engaged in manufacturing,
process or project activities where the connected load is not
over 100 KVA.

Connected load upto 20HP will be charged at Rs 2.55 per KWH unit.
Connected load from 21 to 50HP will be charged at Rs 2.80, while
all beyond 50HP will cost a sharp Rs 3.10.

HOTELS: Hotels or restaurants, lodging and boarding units where
the total connected load is more than 3KW will have to pay
between Rs 3.60 to Rs 3.95 per unit.  

Agricultural operations have to pay just Rs 125 per KWH unit for
all consumption. This is applicable to irrigation pumping and
agricultural purposes, poultry, piggery or pisciculture, for
lights, fans, heating and "other appliances".

It was not clear if farmers misusing their wells to supply water
to hotels and builders in coastal Goa would also be able to claim
power at such low rates.

Public lighting will cost Rs 2 per KHW. Public water works shall
be charged at Rs 3 per KHW unit per month.

Railways, educational institutions and non-industrial
establishment having a pre-dominantly non-industrial load will
have to pay between Rs 3.70 and Rs 4 per KWH unit.

Industries, factories and hotels/restaurants and "other
industrial purposes as may be decided by the chief electrical
engineer" will be billed at the rate of Rs 3.40 per KWH unit, and
a demand charge of Rs 125 per month per KVA of billing demand
upto the contract demand. Excess of contract demand will cost Rs
250 per KVA per month.

High-tension industrial ferro metallurgical and power-intensive
units have a special rate, as do high-tension agricultural
consumers, and industries needing bulk supply of power at 110 KV.
Same is the case of military establishments.

MISUSE: Anyone using power for a purpose not "contemplated" in
the kscontract shall be deemed to be guilty of misuse and
stealing energy.

"Consumers" who need power loads not covered by these tariffs,
and electro-chemical or electro-mechanical units, may "negotiate
for (a) special tariff with the Electricity Department", says the
notification.

Ice factiroes, mining industries, oil units and other "seasonal
consumers" which work for only part of the year, upto a maximum
of nine months, have been put in a separate category. ENDS