No power tariff hike for domestic consumers: Minister Sivasankar

CHENNAI: Electricity Minister SS Sivasankar on Monday clarified that there is currently no increase in power tariffs for domestic electricity connections in Tamil Nadu. He further assured that all existing free electricity schemes will continue without any change.

Dismissing recent media reports suggesting a hike in electricity charges, the Minister stated that the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has not issued any directive approving a revision in tariffs.

He added that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has issued clear instructions that even if the TNERC were to issue a tariff order, there should be no increase in electricity charges for domestic consumers, and all free power schemes currently in place must continue uninterrupted.

However, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said shielding domestic consumers alone from the power tariff hike is not enough, the state government should not hike the tariff for anyone. "In the history of the state, the DMK government has been the most inhumane by hiking power tariff four times in the last three years," he said, adding that domestic consumers have been given the relief considering the next year's assembly election.

Pointing to the hardship faced by traders and MSMEs following the successive tariff hikes, he demanded that the state government keep the tariff hike in abeyance.

It may be noted that several traders and spinning mills associations have demanded reduction in power bills and also not to claim demand charges up to 90%, citing high input costs affecting the textiles business.