(This story originally appeared in on Feb 07, 2015)

NEW DELHI: Political parties may be promising lower electricity tariff to voters ahead of Delhi assembly polls, but power companies have their own agenda.Sources revealed that the discoms are just waiting for election to be over and the model code of conduct to expire so that they can approach Delhi Electricity Regulatory Com mission to reinstate power purchase adjustment charges (PPAC).Once results are announced next week, discoms say they would seek availing of the fuel surcharge withdrawn in November as the city has been facing massive power cuts. Discoms claimed that three months without PPAC was a political move that has worsened their financial situation. "Cost of power is going up daily, and we have been denied quarterly PPAC for nearly three months now. Unless the commission passes an order reversing the decision, we will not be able to pay power generators that would eventually lead to blackouts in Delhi.Once elections are over, this has to be prioritized,” said a discom source. DERC would also admit tariff petitions submitted by discoms in December last year. The three discoms have sought tariff hikes up to 20% for fiscal 2015-16. "DERC must pass the order 120 days after discoms submit tariff petitions. The new tariff should be announced by April," said a power sector official. However, DERC is known to take its own time in announcing tariffs which generally come in June July. On November 14 last year, DERC withdrew the PPAC order it passed just a day earlier.While the regulator said it had withdrawn the order till the time it received complete information from various generators on fuel pricing, discoms alleged the move was prompted by political pressure.The PPAC order that was withdrawn had announced a 2.5 per cent hike for Tata Power consumers in north and northwest Delhi, 4.5 per cent hike for BRPL’s south and west Delhi consumers and a 7 per cent hike for BYPL consumers in east and central Delhi. The PPAC hike would have been applicable till February 15, 2015. DERC said it would not pass the order till discoms provided all breakups of fuel costs from NTPC and other generating companies. Discoms, however, alleged that NTPC was not cooperating in supplying information.