⚖️ What are called Regulatory Assets in the Power Sector?
Regulatory Assets (RAs) are deferred costs recorded by power distribution companies ( DISCOMs ) when their average cost of electricity supply (ACS) exceeds the revenue they collect (ARR) through tariffs. Instead of immediately increasing consumer tariffs to cover this gap, State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) allow DISCOMs to recover the shortfall in the future—thus creating a regulatory asset . ๐งพ How It Works (Example) Average Cost of Supply (ACS) : ₹7.20/unit Approved Tariff (ARR) : ₹7.00/unit Revenue Gap : ₹0.20/unit Units Sold : 10 billion Regulatory Asset Created : ₹2,000 crore This ₹2,000 crore becomes a regulatory asset , to be recovered later through future tariff hikes, often with interest. ๐ Why Are they Created? Non-cost reflective tariffs : Tariffs kept low for political or social reasons. Delayed subsidies : State governments delay payments for subsidized consumers. Fuel price shocks : Sudden increases in coal or gas prices. Operational ...