A consumer association from Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district has objected to the power tariff review petition filed by the Hubballi Electricity Supply Company Limited (Hescom), saying the company is trying to misuse the process to reopen a settled tariff order and shift the financial burden of electricity subsidies from the State government onto consumers.
The Balakedarara Hitarakshaka Sangha, led by its president G.G. Hegde Kadekodi, filed the objection before the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC). The group has opined that Hescom’s review petition is ‘not maintainable in law’ and ‘an appeal in disguise’.
In March 2025, the KERC approved a new tariff order for all electricity supply companies (Escoms) in Karnataka. The Hescom has now asked the commission to revise that order, arguing that the allocation for free electricity to farmers was insufficient and that the tariff determined was too high.
The utility has sought to reduce the per-unit rate for irrigation pump (IP) sets under LT - 4(a) - electricity tariff category for irrigation pump sets used by farmers under low-tension supply from ₹8.30 to ₹7.35, and make up the revenue gap by increasing tariffs for commercial and industrial consumers by ₹0.10 to ₹1 per unit.
