Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, February 16-
The HERC will convene its 31st SAC meeting on February 19, under the chairmanship of Nand Lal Sharma to finalize electricity tariffs for the new financial year 2025-26. The meeting will focus on the financial sustainability of power distribution companies, consumer protection measures, and reforms to improve the efficiency of Haryana’s power sector.
The SAC, constituted under Sections 87 and 88 of the Electricity Act, 2003, plays a key role to advise on policy matters, including service quality, consumer rights, and the performance of distribution companies. The 21-member committee comprises representatives from industries, agriculture, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and the managing directors of UHBVNL and DHBVNL.
In a public hearing held on January 15, HERC gathered feedback from stakeholders regarding the proposed electricity tariffs. Following this, the power distribution companies submitted a Net Aggregate Revenue Requirement (ARR) of 45,978.93 crore for FY 2025-26. However, the Commission has asked them to submit a concrete action plan to address the revenue shortfall of 4,520.24 crore.
The meeting will deliberate on various aspects, including measures to reduce Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses, the expansion of smart metering systems, and the implementation of IT-based consumer grievance redressal mechanisms.