All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has demanded that  a cap on
profiteering  by private power generators (IPPs) must be put in place by the
regulators to stop  exploiting shortage of electricity  by raising the rate
 to the range of Rs 20 per unit.

 AIPEF spokesperson said  on Tuesday that he has written  a letter to Union Power Minister R K Singh has urged that under section 62 (a) of Electricity Act 2003 the
appropriate Commission has  been empowered to fix minimum and maximum limits
 or ceiling under shortage conditions.

 A meeting of the Forum of Regulators be held immediately to discuss the issue threadbare and to stop black marketing of electricity in the future.
it was necessary for state regulators as well as CERC to intervene and impose
price caps to prevent excessive profiteering by IPPs and also to ensure that the
 unbearable burden is not put on consumers of Discoms,he said.
The profiteering by IPPs  goes against  the letter and spirit of Electricity
Act 2003 section 61 (d) "Safeguarding of consumer interest and at the same
 time recovery of the cost of electricity in a reasonable manner”
 Shailendra Dubey Chairman  AIPEF  adding that since coal shortage is
 recognized as a major factor causing a hike in power rates,
the power ministry must stress for ending future coal shortages  
otherwise, the results of 2021  would repeat.

Like in the  United Kingdom where Ofgem  continue to regulate the prices and quality standards of electricity  suppliers until  they consider that competition is
sufficient to meet their principal statutory  objective of protecting the
interests of consumers, having regard to their other duties including
the protection of vulnerable groups.  On the similar lines,it is necessary for regulators  to protect consumer interest by imposing price caps.
 
He also expressed its concern about the closure of ultra mega power
plants of Tata and Adani at Mundra which are run by imported coal and have
nothing to do with the present coal crisis in country and also heavy
backing down of IPP's in Rosa, Lalitpur, and Bara adding to the crisis