Bihar Electricity Tariffs to Remain Unchanged From April 1, Regulator Approves Discounts for Rural and Smart Meter Consumers
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Patna: Electricity tariffs in Bihar will remain unchanged from April 1, with the state’s regulatory body rejecting a proposed hike for industrial consumers. The Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC) has, however, introduced new slabs for rural consumers, bringing a 54-paise per unit reduction in electricity charges for 1.25 crore rural households. Additionally, 62 lakh consumers using smart meters will receive a 25-paise per unit discount on their bills.
Announcing the decision, BERC chairman Amir Subhani, along with commission members Arun Kumar Sinha and P.S. Yadav, stated that these changes would be effective from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, or until further notice. The cold storage sector will now have a separate tariff slab, while industrial consumers paying online will be eligible for a 1% discount on their bills, capped at Rs 50,000.
Rural And Smart Meter Consumers To Benefit
The commission has accepted the electricity companies’ proposal to merge two slabs for rural consumers under the DS-1 category, allowing them to pay a lower rate for consumption beyond 50 units. Under the revised structure, rural consumers will pay Rs 7.42 per unit for the first 50 units and Rs 7.96 per unit beyond that, marking a 54-paise reduction per unit for those exceeding 50 units in monthly consumption. This will benefit approximately 93 lakh consumers.
For smart prepaid meter users, a 25-paise per unit discount will apply. A rural consumer opting for a smart prepaid meter will receive a combined discount of 79 paise per unit—54 paise from the DS-1 slab revision and an additional 25 paise as a smart meter benefit.
No Increase For Urban Consumers, Industrial Tariff Hike Rejected
Urban domestic consumers will continue to pay Rs 7.42 per unit for the first 100 units and Rs 8.95 per unit thereafter. These rates do not account for state government subsidies, which the Energy Department will review before making a final decision.
The commission also ruled in favor of waiving penalties for smart prepaid meter users in cases of contractual demand breaches for the first six months. It further rejected the Rs 1 per unit increase in energy charges for high-tension consumers, a proposal previously submitted by the power distribution companies.
