ToD charges will kill MSMEs, say entrepreneurs
“If this trend continues, many units will either migrate to other states or close down completely,” industry sources said.
RANIPET: The proposed move to implement Time of Day (ToD) tariff for industries has left Ranipet district’s tiny and small-scale units fuming. This is a clandestine move to hike power tariff, charged Gandhijothi, secretary of Ranipet District Tiny and Small-scale Industries Association.
“The government knows well that we would protest if they hiked the power tariff on the whole. Hence, it has resorted to this means which is totally impractical for industries to follow,” Gandhijothi told DT Next.
Implementing ToD tariff is not feasible as Tangedco hasn’t fixed metres to calculate approximate charges based on the power used by an industrial unit, he said. “If the state is power surplus then where is the need for this measure?”
Entrepreneurs say they have approached local minister R Gandhi on this issue but claim they were yet to get a response till date. “Most of the domestic users will complete their daily chores and be out of the house by 9 am. But, no industry can afford to start functioning at 10 am and close down by 6 pm to avoid peak consumption charges. Industrial units generally start functioning from around 8 am to meet their production target,” a disgruntled entrepreneur told this newspaper.
Another grievance is that Tangedco refuses to accept industrial units surrendering excess load recently. Officials said that they would act on a surrender application within 8 days of the receipt, which they haven’t adhered to, entrepreneurs accuse.
“If this trend continues, many units will either migrate to other states or close down completely,” industry sources said.
Meanwhile, former AIADMK electricity minister P Thangamani, said that Tamil Nadu should not accept the new power policy advocated by the Centre. “They can suggest. But it is ultimately with the state to act on it, and they can act independently,” he added.
