LUCKNOW: The UP electricity regulatory commission UPERC ) on Monday initiated the power tariff determination exercise for the new financial year . The electricity regulator asked the UP Power Corporation Limited to submit the new annual revenue requirement (ARR)—the document projecting revenue recovery through sale of power to consumers—for determination of the electricity tariff for the year 2017-18.Commission chairman Desh Deepak Verma said the corporation has been asked to submit the ARR as soon as possible so that the commission can announce a new power tariff Normally, power tariff increases in at least one or other category of consumers. Last year, SP government, seemingly with an eye on state elections, did not effect an increase in power tariff for residential consumers but passed the burden on industries. With elections over, the new government will take the call on power tariff. UPPCL officials refused to comment but sources said the new ARR will be submitted to the commission only after consulting the new government. UPPCL sources said a team of officials is likely to meet the CM to appraise him about the power scenario before going ahead with the new tariff determination exercise.The power corporation normally submits the ARR with UPERC by the end of every year. It is followed by a tariff plan, which is then computed and endorsed by the commission before announcing it formally in the new financial year. The government did not let the corporation not submit the ARR last year in view of the UP elections despite the commission sending out reminders to the corporation.UPPCL officials said the corporation has to come up with a multi-year tariff plan, for up to at least next there years. Last year, UPPCL projected an ARR of around Rs 55,000 crore even as it promised 24-hour power supply to urban and 18 hours to rural areas. With the BJP government initiating its ambitious scheme of power distribution in UP, the UPPCL may face the challenge of maintaining a balance between power supply and revenue recovery.