THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The KSEB has submitted a recommendation to the Regulatory Commission to consider night consumption as a peak hour and charge more when the power tariff is increased from next April. Along with the peak hour hike, there is also a recommendation for smart meter. The board has proposed that the tariff will be presented later. This is the first time in the state that the rates are going to be fixed according to time. An additional rate of 20 to 35 percent is being considered.

Timezone is proposed for power consumption in the 2010 Central Electricity Act. The normal time is from 8 am to 6 pm, peak time from 6 pm to 10 pm and off - peak time from 10 pm to 8 am the next day. KSEB also demanded that the peak time be changed to 5 pm to 11 pm and that the other two time zones be allowed to change accordingly.

Current meters do not have a system to differentiate consumption according to time zone. Therefore, action will be taken to make smart meters mandatory, including for new connections, and to charge extra for night consumption.

Power exchanges that buy electricity have higher rates during peak hours. KSEB estimates that charging higher rates for night consumption will reduce outsourcing and reduce operating losses.

5.44 per household unit

The commission has been asked to increase the average by 92 paise per unit but the rate hike for domestic customers has been given less than what was submitted earlier. An average hike of 8.8 percent is proposed for domestic consumers using up to 500 units per month. At the same time, there is a demand of a 40 per cent increase in the fixed charge. The average unit rate for domestic consumers is currently Rs 5.02. The proposal is to increase it to Rs 5.44. At the same time, it says that the fixed charge should be allowed to increase from Rs 15 to Rs 150.

1.15- 1.75 rupees- Loss when supplying one unit of electricity. If the rate hike is implemented, it will decrease to Rs 0.24- 0.14.