Reliance Power follows Adanis, Tatas to CERC seeking tariff hike

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) today admitted two petitions filed by Reliance Power's Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project, after the power sector regulator on Monday allowed Tata Power Co to price electricity from its Mundra power plant in Gujarat on a temporary basis.

Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Power today filed two separate petitions – one seeking compensation for changes in law during operation period and the other demanding compensation of changes in law during construction – so as to seek compensation and raise tariffs for electricity produced from the Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project.

Since CERC has offered relief to Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Power, by allowing sale of power from its 4000-MW Mundra Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) at a higher price, there is a very good chance that Reliance Power also gets regulatory nod for tariff hike.

CERC has, meanwhile, ordered the setting up of a committee to work out the price increase and the compensation package in the case of Tata Power. The committee is to submit its report by 15 May.

The regulator had earlier also allowed Adani Power's 4620 MW Mundra power project to charge higher rates as the plant runs on costly, imported coal.

Reliance Power has already started electricity generation from the first 660-MW unit of the 3960 MW Sasan UMPP in Madhya Pradesh.

Power generated from the project would be sold to 14 distribution companies across seven states.