Energy Bangla

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Dhaka Thursday,  Mar 28, 2024

POWER PRICE

BERC to begin hearing from Jan 20

EB Reporter

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission is set to begin public hearing on the proposed power price hike for both bulk and retail sectors from January 20, 2015. The new power tariff would come into effect from February 1, a BERC official told. The commission last week issued letters in this regard asking the stakeholders to attend the hearing.

The five state-run power distribution agencies submitted proposals to raise the retail price of electricity by between 17.45 per cent and 25.89 per cent after the Power Development Board wanted a hike in bulk electricity price by 18.12 per cent.

The government initiated the move for raising power price after the BERC increased the prices by Tk 0.40 per kilowatt-hour or unit on an average with effect from March 1.

With the March hike, the Awami League-led government in its two consecutive terms already pursued the commission to increase the retail power prices by 63.56 per cent, increasing from Tk 3.76 a unit to Tk 6.15 on an average in seven phases since March 2010.

The commission had also increased the bulk price of electricity by 98.31 per cent — from Tk 2.37 to Tk 4.70 a unit — on an average in six phases between February 2011 and September 2012.

Now the commission on January 20 will begin with the hearing on the proposal of Power Development Board for raising the price of bulk electricity by 18.12 per cent at which the distribution companies will buy electricity from PDB, according to the BERC notice.

On the next morning, it will hold the public hearing on the proposal of Power Grid Company of Bangladesh to raise the electricity transmission charge by about 71 per cent on an average.

In the afternoon, the commission will hear from the stakeholders on the proposal of West-Zone Power Distribution Company to increase the retail price of electricity by 21.31 per cent at which the end consumers will buy electricity from the company.

The commission on January 22 will hold public hearing on the proposals of retail tariff hike submitted by the distribution wing of PDB and Dhaka Power Distribution Company in two sessions—morning and afternoon — respectively.
PDB wanted a 22 per cent hike while the DPDC wanted 17.85 per cent hike in retail power prices.

The commission on January 25 will conclude the public hearing with the proposals of Rural Electrification Board and Dhaka Electric Supply Company.
REB wanted a 25.89 per cent hike while the DESCO wanted a 17.45 per cent hike in retail power prices.

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