DHAKA: The technical evaluation committee of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Wednesday recommended increasing of the wheeling charge by 1.53 percent.

The committee made the recommendation in a mass hearing on the process of hiking power price at TCB Bhaban at Karwan Bazar in the city in the morning.

BERC chairman AR Khan, member Dr Selim Mahmud, and engineers Delwar Hossain, Rahman Murshed and Maksudul Haq received the mass hearing.

Meanwhile, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) proposed to increase the power price by 16.78 percent which is Tk 0.38 per unit in 132 kV line and TK 0.39 per unit in 33 kV line.

It said currently the cost of power production and distribution one unit is Tk 6.54 whereas the price at wholesale level is Tk 4.67 per unit.

PGCB are now collecting wheeling charge TK 0.226 per unit and TK 0.2291 per unit respectively. If the price is not hiked the company will incur loss of TK 818 in 2014-15 fiscal year.

Earlier on Tuesday, the technical evaluation committee of BERC recommended increasing the bulk power price by 5.16 percent though Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) proposed to increase the power price by 18.12 percent (Tk 0.85 per unit) at wholesale level.

The mass hearing commenced on Tuesday and will be held till January 25. 

BDST: 1312 HRS, JAN 21, 2015