April 27: The industrialists of Bara-Parsa have complained that the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has been imposing the premium tariff even on the industries that have not subscribed a dedicated line and those industries established after the end of load-shedding.

The industrialists met Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet and said that they have had to bear the burden of the authority's procedural. The delegation of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry met the energy minister and complained that the authority has done injustice to the industrialists.

Two years after the end of load shedding, the Electricity Regulatory Commission canceled the dedicated and trunk lines and fixed the normal tariff rate in June 2020. The electricity tariff during these two years is disputed.

The industries that did not demand dedicated line even during the load-shedding period have been insisting that they will not pay the premium tariff.

“It is all right if the NEA seeks premium from the industries that demanded a dedicated line but it is unfair to impose the same rate to those who did not place such demand,” said one of the industrialists.

The industrialists made it clear that they will not pay the dedicated tariff which they have not demanded.

Madhav Rajpal, the vice president of the chamber said, “Along with the end of load shedding, the regulation of NEA should also be revised. On the contrary, it imposed an expensive tariff of up to 65 percent of the normal rate to customers. The arrears shown in the name of customers who did not demand for the dedicated line should be waived.”

The industrialists say that it is unfair to try to collect premium charges from customers who have subscribed for the service after the end of the load shedding period.

In the meeting with industrialists, Minister Basnet said that he is aware of this dispute between the authority and the industrialists. Rajpal said that Minister Basnet assured to take initiative to solve the problem.

The NEA had officially announced the end of load shedding in the industrial sector from 15 May 2018. Rajpal said that the authority has not amended the Electricity Tariff Collection Regulations 2073 and since then, there has been a problem with tariff.