Proposal to hike power tariff in MIHAN-SEZ by 47% flayed

 

 

 

MAHARASHTRA Airport Development Company Limited (MADC) has sent a proposal to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) to steeply increase the power tariff in MIHAN-SEZ by more than 47 per cent and also introducing hefty fixed charges at Rs 370 per Kw/month. A notice in this regard was recently issued by MADC. Industrialists in MIHAN-SEZ have opposed such a proposal saying that the power hike will make their export oriented units (EoUs) uncompetitive not only in the international market but also in the domestic market too. In this regard a virtual meeting was recently organised. It was attended by the members of MIHAN Industries Association (MIA) and MADC officials.

 

In the meeting, Manohar Bhojwani, President of MIA discussed the issue of hike in power tariff. He said, “With a steep hike in power tariff t,he export oriented units in MIHAN-SEZ will not be able to survive and will have to shut down their operations.” Bhojwani said, “At the inception of MIHAN-SEZ, MADC invited industries by promising power through captive power plant at Rs 2.97/Kwh. MADC failed to provide power to industries at promised rate and units were left to operate on generator sets or at very high rate of power by MSEB at Rs 14/Kwh. MIA moved the High Court on the matter of power tariff as MADC failed to provide power at Rs 2.97/Kwh.” After much litigation, MADC managed to provide power through open access at Rs 4.39/Kwh with no fixed charges.

 

Industrialists on assurance of former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis withdrew the cases from the High Court. Now in 2022, MADC has proposed more than 47 per cent power tariff hike with Rs 370/KW/month as fixed charges, he noted. The members of association unanimously decided to strongly oppose the proposed hike in power tariff and has filed its objection to MERC. It was also the view of members that MIHAN-SEZ is export oriented zone and concessional power is important in ensuring export competitiveness against the foreign counterparts and units located in port special economic zone of India, Bhojwani pointed out.