RAIPUR: On increasing the average monthly electricity bill, additional security deposit is charged from the consumer for the month of October. In the current year only 20 percent consumers have been asked to shell out additional security deposit, said Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL) on Tuesday.

Issuing a clarification on hike in electricity bill, CSPDCL Managing Director Manoj Khare said it is revised every year in the month of October, based on the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Supply Code-2011 issued by the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC).

There is a provision to revise the consumer's security deposit on the basis of the average consumption bill of the last 12 months. If there is an increase of average consumption in a year, then bills are issued by adding the amount of the security fund. It is in addition to the already deposited security fund in the electricity bills of the month of November, he said.

It is a prescribed process going on since the time of Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board (MPEB). If the average consumption is less, then it is returned to the consumers in the subsequent bills. Interest is also paid by the company on the deposit security fund of the consumers every year in the month of April.

He added that during Covid-19 pandemic no hike was done, instead a 50 percent discount was given. As the pandemic is over, it has been revised. Similarly, a hike was due to an increase in Variable Cost Adjustment (VCA).