Aptel pulls up Karnataka power regulator for defying order

The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (Aptel) has taken exception to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (KERC) ‘defiance’ of its orders and not letting the state’s power transmission company recover costs, which were allowed to be passed through. In an October 5 order, the Aptel asked KERC chairperson and members to “show cause within four weeks hereof as to why contempt action be not initiated against them for willful defiance and disobedience”.

According to sector watchers, the order is ‘historic’ as this is the first time a contempt notice has been issued by Aptel against any state regulator. The development comes at a time when the central government is tightening its grip on state regulators to ensure power tariffs are increased regularly to address the issue of under recovery faced by state-run distribution companies (discoms).