Ombudsman rejects NHAI plea seeking lower power tariff

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Electricity Ombudsman has refused NHAI’s plea to pay local body rates for powering its highway lights. The Ombudsman directed the agency to seek clarity from TN Electricity Regulatory Commission, the state power regulator, as it falls under the commercial tariff slab.

Low-tension electricity supplied for public lighting and water supply by government depts and local bodies falls under LT-IIA category, where each unit is charged at 8.8 with a fixed cost of 220 per kilowatt of connected load.