Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (Berc) is going to start a public hearing on Thursday on proposals for raising both bulk and retail electricity tariffs.

The hearing will continue till December 3 at the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) Auditorium in Kawranbazar.

Responding to the appeals placed by single power generation entity Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), lone transmission agency Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) and six other distribution utilities -- BPDB, BREB, DPDC, Desco, Nesco and WZPDC, the energy regulator has moved for the public hearing.

As per the schedule, the first hearing will take place at 10am on November 28 to discuss the bulk tariff hike proposals to be placed by BPDB.

The BPDB in its appeal to the Berc said it needs to raise the bulk power tariff from existing Tk 4.84 to Tk 5.88 from January 1 next to cover its revenue deficit of Tk 9,552 crore in the calendar year of 2020.

In the second session of the hearing at 2pm on the same day, the regulator will discuss the appeal of the PGCB to raise its transmission cost in supply of electricity to distribution companies.

The Berc will hold hearing on the retail tariff hike proposal of BPDB in the morning session and that of Northern Electricity Supply Company Ltd (Nesco) in the second session on December 1 while hearing on the proposal of Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC) will take place in the morning session and that of Dhaka Electric Supply Company Ltd (Desco) in the second session on December 2.

The hearing on retail tariff hike proposal of Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) will be held in the morning session while discussion on the hike proposal of West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd (WZPDC) will take place in the afternoon session on December 3.

Both the retail and bulk electricity tariffs were raised in November 2017 with effect from December 1 of the same year.

© Pakistan Press International, source Asianet-Pakistan