Tribunal favours petitioners in Rajasthan power surcharge row

23 Sep 2022 CW Team

The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) recently ruled that the state regulatory commission should revisit the subject of cross-subsidy surcharge on open access projects in Rajasthan as and when it takes up the tariff determination exercise in the future.

Rajasthan Textile Mills Association, Vedanta, Lord Chloro Alkali, Sunil Healthcare, Synergy Steels, Ambuja Cements, and Ultratech Cement had petitioned APTEL to assess the legitimacy of the state regulator’s determination of the cross-subsidy surcharge for the financial year (FY) 2016-17.

The petitioners have industrial units located in Rajasthan that have been granted open access within the contract demand and are drawing electricity through open access, including from power exchanges.

They challenged the state commission for hiking the cross-subsidy surcharge from Rs 0.18 ($0.002)/kWh, Rs 0.13 ($0.001)/kWh, and Rs 0.05 ($0.0006)/kWh for 132 kV consumers, 33 kV consumers, and 11 kV consumers to Rs 1.63 ($0.021)/kWh, Rs 1.39 ($0.017)/kWh, and Rs 0.83 ($0.01)/kWh.

The tribunal observed that the rates of cross-subsidy surcharge under the previous determination were Rs 0.18 ($0.002)/kWh for 132 kV consumers, Rs 0.13 ($0.001)/kWh for 33 kV consumers, and Rs 0.05 ($0.0006)/kWh for 11 kV consumers.

APTEL stated that the rates of cross-subsidy surcharge should not have been tampered with and it is unjust, unfair, and violates the prescribed norms and procedures and so it is set aside.

The tribunal directed the state commission to revisit the cross-subsidy surcharge when it takes up tariff determination in the future.

Infrastructure Energy

01 Jul 2025

South West Pinnacle Wins Rs 30 Cr Oman Mining Contract

South West Pinnacle Exploration Ltd has secured a Rs 30 crore contract from Minerals Development Oman (MDO) for mining exploration in concession areas 12B and 13.The two-year project will be carried out via Alara Resources LLC, a JV in Oman. MDO, backed by Oman’s investment authorities, focuses on monetising mineral wealth.The contract covers copper, gold, and chromite and highlights South West Pinnacle’s growing footprint in international exploration and mining services. ..

Godrej GEG Boosts Intralogistics with AI and Green Tech

Godrej Enterprises Group (GEG) is revolutionising warehouse and factory logistics through its Material Handling Equipment and Storage Solutions arms by integrating AI, IoT, and automation.With 20–25% market share and 85% local sourcing, GEG champions Atmanirbhar Bharat and sustainability. The Chennai plant, a green manufacturing leader, uses RoHS-compliant materials and has slashed energy consumption by 60%.GEG serves e-commerce, FMCG, retail, and cold chains with high-performance racking and electric forklifts. Upcoming IoT-enabled forklifts and telematics solutions aim to improve speed, sa..

Amit Shah Inaugurates Key Projects Across Gujarat

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various projects in Gujarat’s Panchmahal district and Ahmedabad.In Godhra, he inaugurated the Center of Excellence building, sports complex, reservoir, and Miyawaki plantation. In Ahmedabad, he unveiled a new cooperative complex in Adaroda village and a primary school in Juwal.These projects, under the Model Co-op Village scheme, aim to boost education, sustainability, and rural development across the state. ..