CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has approved the levy of an additional surcharge of Rs 0.29 per unit on open-access consumers, who buy power directly from third parties and exchanges, without depending on State utility, from April to September this year.

Tangedco's latest petition prayed that Rs 0.34 per unit should be fixed as an additional surcharge for the specified period, which has been proposed based on the surcharge levied in the corresponding months in the previous year.

The open access concept allows consumers like industrial users and commercial buildings to buy cheaper power directly from private generators.

"The commission scrutinised the details furnished by Tangedco and arrived at the actual stranded capacity of the licensee due to open access consumers as 348.04 MW. The fixed cost obligation on such stranded capacity is calculated as Rs 193.97 crore. The net demand charges, arrived after deducting the transmission and distribution charges absorbed for the consumption of discom power, are taken for adjustment against the fixed capacity charges recoverable for stranded capacity," the TNERC order said.

It directed TANGEDCO to file a monthly report on total energy wheeled by open-access consumers, energy consumed by captive consumers, energy consumed by open-access consumers through third-party purchases, and energy consumed by open-access consumers through the exchange.