BEFORE THE PUNJAB STATE ELECTRICITY

REGULATORY COMMISSION

 

 

                        In the matter of :                                                         Petition No. 19/2002

 

                        Punjab State Electricity Board                                    Petitioner

 

                        In the matter of                                                           Levy of fuel surcharge.

 

                        The matter came up for hearing on December 12, 2002.

Present :

                        R.S. Mann,      Chairman

                        S.K. Sharma,   Member

                        L.S. Deol,        Member

 

                        Petitioner -      PSEB                           Sri H.C. Sood, CE / Commercial,

                                                                                    Sri S.S. Bassi, Director / Tariff

 

 

ORDER

 

                        The Commission heard the representatives of the Board on the petition.

 

2.                     The Commission noted that there were certain discrepancies in the data given  by the Board. The Commission also desired clarifications on certain matters from the Board. As such, it was decided by the Commission that the data furnished  by the Board may be reconciled by the  staff of the Commission by holding a joint meeting. In pursuance thereof, meeting of the PSEB officials was held with the staff of the Commission and the basic parameters and discrepancies in filing were intimated to the Board. As a result thereof, the Board filed a supplementary petition on an affidavit dated 18.12.2002 signed by Chief Engineer Commercial, PSEB, containing the amended data, information etc. vide their reference No. 259/CC/T/25/FS/Vol.VI. dated 19.12.2002..

 

 

3.                     After going through the contents of the petition as well as supplementary data / information, the Commission noted that :-

 

a)         the Board has claimed increase in cost of power purchased from out side the State (NTPC) under fuel surcharge adjustment. The Commission noted that any escalation in power purchase by the Board from out side the State should normally get covered under increase in cost of power purchased and not under fuel surcharge and as such should be reflected under ARR and Tariff Application and not under present petition. The Commission therefore, disallows the cost from the calculations made by the Board.

 

b)         The Board has now amended the quantity of coal for the three thermal plants as approved by the Commission in its tariff order dated September 6, 2002 and proportionate quantity of coal for 7.5 months i.e. from 18.8.2002 to 31.3.2003 has been taken for working out the additional burden due to increase in cost of coal and royalty.

           

c)        Linkages from various collieries for 7.5 months have been worked out on the basis of linkages approved by the Standing Linkages Committee, Govt. of India, Ministry of Coal & Mines, New Delhi for the period October – December 2002. The grade wise percentage of coal has been calculated on the basis of quantity received for the period 1.4.2002 to 31.7.2002.

 

4.                     In view of the above, the fuel surcharge works out as under :-

 

 

Sr. No.

Name of Thermal Plant

Name of Colliery

Addl. burden due to increase in cost of coal and royalty for 7.5 months. (Rs. in  lacs)

1.

GGSSTPS, Ropar

CCL

BCCL

SECL

WCL

Total

763.83

289.23

281.05

485.71

1819.82

2.

GHTP, Lehra Mohabat

ECL

CCL

Total

317.70

340.84

658.54

3.

GNDTP, Bathinda

CCL

BCCL

SECL

Total

656.25

144.40

43.51

844.16

 

Total additional burden due to increase in supply of coal cost and royalty thus works out to Rs. 3322.52 lacs. Adding CST @ 4% the total cost works out to Rs. 3455.42 lacs.

 

5.                     As per Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission Tariff Order dated 6.9.2002, for the year 2002-03, total MUs for sale in Punjab State is 21876. The units to be sold during 18.8.2002 to 31.3.2003 worked out  proportionately will be 21876x7.5/ 12 = 13673 MUs.

 

            As such, fel surcharge per unit =  3455.42 x105x102

                                                               13673x106                                          = 2.53 paise

 

6.                     While passing the order for levy of fuel surcharge vide its order dated July 18, 2002, the Commission considered the issue of rounding off the fuel surcharge and noted that the more appropriate and acceptable method of rounding is to consider half and greater than half as whole and ignore less than half. This principle should continue to be applied in all such cases unless the Commission decides otherwise.  As such, the cost of 2.53 paise will get rounded off to 3 paise per unit.

 

7.                     In view of the above, the Commission approves the levy of fuel surcharge @ 3 paise per unit w.e.f. 18.8.2002.

 

 

            sd/-                                                                  sd/-                                                                  sd/-

            L.S. Deol                                                         S.K.Sharma                                                R.S.Mann

            Member.                                                         Member                                                     Chairman.

 

 

Dated: 31st December 2002.

Place:   Chandigarh.