Energy audit, a necessity

We are in for fresh tariff burden on the power front. Power we use in the clubhouse, tennis court floodlighting will be charged under commercial category. Which means, says a media report, for every unit of electricity consumed, charges will be Rs.4.30, for consumption up to 200 units bi-monthly. If power usage exceeds this limit, the charges will be Rs.7 per unit from the first unit of consumption.
This ought to set us thinking. Play area users should put their heads together to evolve a 100-unit monthly energy budget. Floodlighting on alternate days or a power cess on use of play area after daylight hours are suggestions that will not be acceptable to all. This is where the association management steps in, to take tough, if unpalatable, decisions.
Another issue our association would do well to take up with Mantri's right away pertains to getting separate EB connection for common area lighting, water supply and lift operation. With separate connection these facilities will be charged under the tariff of domestic consumers.
Adding to our misery of an eight our power cut, Mantri Synergy residents would now have to budget their consumption to eight units a day, if they wish to stay within 500 unit limit for a two-month billing cycle. Power usage beyond 500 units in two months attracts higher tariff rate.
Going by the units-per-hr. table published in the media , we need to cutback on usage of induction stove/rice cooker. I didn't know geyser draws as much power as immersion rod. Anyway,we rarely use either nowadays, with Chennai getting warmer by the day. With power being off for 8 plus hours,we don't have AC units functioning more than an hour or more at a stretch. It is time we replaced incandescent bulb (0.04 unit per hr.) with CFL (0.005 unit per hr.)