In a recent development, electricity supply companies in Bihar have submitted a tariff proposal for the fiscal year 2024-25 to the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission. The companies propose a billing structure for agricultural consumers based on crop harvesting seasons, aiming to issue bills four times a year in March, May, August, and December.
Additionally, a proposal has been put forth to include electricity consumption in the domestic category for home-stays to boost domestic tourism. The commission is set to consider these requests, anticipating a natural increase in usage with continued development.
As per the petition, if a consumer’s electricity demand exceeds 105% of their actual connected load for three consecutive months, the electricity burden will automatically increase based on the average demand of the previous three months. The proposal also suggests a 1.5% discount for government institutions paying their bills within 30 days.
Key Proposals in the Tariff Petition:
1. Implement KVA-based billing for non-domestic and industrial consumers.
2. Eliminate load factor discounts for high-tension consumers but provide monthly incentives for high-energy-consuming HT industrial consumers.
3. Introduce two new tariff categories for high-tension consumers with 220/132 KV and 400 KV connections.
4. Advocate for a revised Time of Day (TOD) tariff for all HT consumers, with varying charges during different time slots.
5. Limit online payment discounts for high-tension consumers to a maximum of 20,000 rupees or up to 1% of the bill amount.
6. Maintain a 1% discount for general consumers.
Electricity Rate Hike Warning:
The Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission warns of a potential electricity rate increase from 33 to 40 paise per unit, effective April 1, 2024. The commission invites public feedback and suggestions until January 15, 2024, through registered mail or in-person submissions.
Following the public feedback period, the commission will conduct public hearings in five cities, including Patna, from January 19 to February 2. The new tariff rates for 2024-25 will be officially announced by the commission before April 1, 2024.
“Bihar Braces for Up to 40 Paise per Unit Hike in Electricity Rates – Details of New Tariff Structure Await Public Input”
