CUTTACK: In a significant development, the Orissa High Court on Friday issued an interim stay on the hike in transmission tariff imposed by Central transmission utility Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) and a notice to the State Government on power regulation if it failed to pay the enhanced rates.Acting on a writ petition filed by state power trading utility Gridco challenging the tariff hike, the single-judge Bench of Justice BK Patel has issued notice to PGCIL, State Government and the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) on the matter.The PGCIL had served the notice to the State to regulate power from October 22 if the State Government did not pay the enhanced transmission tariff.It had even asked the Eastern Region Load Dispatching Centre (ERLDC) to regulate 15 percent of power from the Central share to the tune of 160 MW even as Gridco’s petition against the tariff hike was pending before the CERC.The date of power regulation had subsequently been deferred to November 7, following the visit of PGCIL Chairman RK Nayak last month and the request of the State Government to postpone the date in view of the festivals of Diwali and Kali Puja.The hike would seriously affect power situation in the State as hydro power generation was low due to poor water storage in reservoirs.The enhanced transmission tariff would impose an additional burden of 20 paise per unit on customers of the State, Gridco has contended.
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