The country's energy regulator is scrutinising proposals from the state-run power and gas marketing and distribution companies before inviting them for public hearings for raising electricity and natural gas tariffs to the user-ends, a senior official said.
"We are working on the proposals to rationalise the extent of the hikes," said the official of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC).
On completion of the initial scrutiny, the BERC will call them to face public hearings to justify the hikes of electricity and natural gas tariffs, said the official.
Several power distribution companies have sought hike in retail electricity tariff ranging from 14.75 per cent to 18.50 per cent.
The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has sought a hike of electricity tariff at bulk level by 18.12 per cent or Tk 0.81 per unit (1 kilowatt hour).
The gas marketing distribution companies have also sought to increase the price of natural gas by up to 122 per cent.
The Rural Electrification Board (REB) has asked for a retail level electricity tariff hike by 15.50 per cent, the West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDCO) by 18.5 per cent and the Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) by 14.75 per cent.
Six gas marketing and distribution companies -- Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd, Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Ltd, Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Ltd, Pashchimanchal Gas Company Ltd, Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Ltd and Sundarban Gas Company Ltd -- sought a similar hike in natural gas tariff although they submitted their proposals separately to the BERC, the Commission official added.
They pleaded for increasing the price of gas for double burners in households by 122 per cent and single burners by 112.5 per cent.
The gas firms have sought to increase tariff of double burners in households to Tk 1,000, up from Tk 450 and that for single burners Tk 850, up from Tk 400.
The hike in gas tariff for power plants, which do not feed electricity to the national grid, has been sought at Tk 240 per Mcf (1,000 cubic feet) from Tk 118.26 per Mcf.
Natural gas tariff for commercial consumers is set to be hiked to Tk 350 per Mcf, up from Tk 268.09 per Mcf, industries to Tk 220 per Mcf up from Tk 165.91 per Mcf, tea estates Tk 200 per Mcf from Tk 165.91 per Mcf, power plants feeding the grid to Tk 84 per Mcf from Tk 79.82 per Mcf and fertiliser factories to Tk 80 per Mcf from Tk 72.92 per Mcf.
The hike for CNG filling stations has been proposed at Tk 32 per cubic meter, up from Tk 23, meaning that the retail consumers will have to pay Tk 40 a unit, up from Tk 30, as per the proposal.
The BERC earlier increased gas prices for all categories of consumers with effect from August 1, 2009.
It later increased only the price of compressed natural gas (CNG) by 66.67 per cent, from Tk 18 to Tk 23 a cubic metre, in 2011.
The Commission hiked electricity tariff at the retail level by 6.96 per cent on an average with effect from March 1, 2014.
The energy regulator then declared the tariff hike 'abruptly' avoiding the tradition of holding a formal press briefing for making such an announcement.
The Commission did not hike electricity tariff for 'life-line' residential subscribers, who use up to 50 units (kilowatt-hour) of electricity per month.
The tariff for irrigation was not hiked then.
azizjst@yahoo.com
BERC scrutinising proposals for electricity, gas tariff hikes
M Azizur Rahman | Published: November 30, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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