Two top power distribution companies owned by the government – Power Development Board (PDB) and Dhaka Power distribution Company (DPDC) – on Wednesday placed their respective proposals to raise the price of electricity at the consumers’ level. According to the PDB proposal per unit power tariff for residential use would go up to Tk 2.80 from the present Tk 2.60 for consumption up to 100 units.
The PDB proposed a 21 per cent rise in power tariff in two phases and the Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd recommended an 11.93 per cent increase.
The Prime Minister’s Advisor Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury told reporters that the government had moved to raise the power tariff to reduce its subsidy in the power sector.
“We have to provide a huge amount of subsidy. Now we want the public should share a portion of the subsidy. That’s why the PDB and DPDC appealed for raising the power tariff,” he said.
The present minimum tariff is Tk 2.60, applicable for consumers who use up to 100 units. In February this year, the BERC raised power tariff by about 5 per cent for an interim period responding to a government appeal.
For consumption up to 400 units the rate would be Tk 6.5 instead of the present Tk 5.93 and for consumption up to 1000 units the rate would go up to Tk 8 against the present Tk 5.93. The maximum increase proposed was Tk 9.20 per unit from the existing Tk 8.87 for commercial users during peak hours.
BERC accepted the new tariff hike proposals and it may hold a public hearing them next month. At the 11KV level the present flat rate is Tk 4.37 per unit but the PDB proposed to raise it to Tk 5.50. For the 33KV level PDB proposed to raise the flat rate to Tk 5.30 replacing the existing Tk 4.11. For 132KV level PDB proposed Tk 5.20 for per unit of power replacing the present Tk 3.25.
-With The Independent input
