CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) has issued a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) to implement a Rs 2 per unit electricity subsidy for tea shops, eateries, cloud kitchens, restaurants and hotels. The move comes nearly two weeks after the state government announced relief to offset the impact of LPG shortages and limited availability of commercial cylinders due to the West Asia crisis. In a circular issued by TNPDCL’s finance branch, all superintendent engineers and assistant executive engineers have been instructed to inspect high-tension (HT) commercial connections. They have been asked to ensure that the connected load is fully used for food-related activities such as food courts, restaurants, hotels and canteens, so that eligible consumers can avail of the subsidy. The circular stated that HT consumers in non-commercial categories, such as IT parks with canteens or food courts, will be eligible for the subsidy only if a separate meter is installed for such usage. For low-tension (LT) consumers, the billing software has been updated to classify commercial services into categories such as tea shops, restaurants, small hotels, large hotels, sweet shops, bakeries and others. Meter readers have been directed to classify these correctly while recording readings. HT consumers currently pay Rs 9.40 per unit, while LT consumers pay between Rs 6.45 and Rs 10.45 per unit, depending on usage. The state government had announced on March 14 that electricity consumers affected by the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders would receive support for increased power usage after shifting to electric and induction stoves. Under the scheme, the government will pay Rs 2 per unit for excess consumption, while consumers will bear the remaining cost. The circular explained that excess consumption will be calculated by comparing current usage with the corresponding period last year. For new connections without previous data, the previous bill will be used as a reference. A senior TNPDCL official said the circular was issued to formally confirm that the billing software has been updated and to ensure that no eligible consumer is left out. The official added that since the measure is being implemented as an emergency response based on government directions, TNPDCL will seek formal approval for the subsidy from the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) at a later stage.
