Bihar Power Firms Seek Tariff Hike, Business Groups Oppose Proposal
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Patna: Three state-run electricity transmission and supply companies in Bihar have proposed a hike of around five paise per unit in transmission and supply costs, seeking approval from the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC).
Currently, the transmission and supply cost per unit stands at approximately 50 to 52 paise, with the firms requesting an increase to 55 to 60 paise per unit for the 2025-26 financial year. The Bihar State Power Transmission Company, State Load Dispatch Centre, and Bihar Grid Company have collectively sought an annual revenue requirement (ARR) of Rs 2,804 crore—an increase of Rs 758 crore from the Rs 2,046 crore approved for the ongoing financial year.
A hearing on the proposal was held on Wednesday in the courtroom of the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission, presided over by Commission Chairman Amir Subhani and members Purushottam Singh Yadav and Arun Kumar Sinha. Officials from the three companies, along with consumer representatives, presented their arguments.
However, the proposal faced opposition from the Bihar Industries Association (BIA) and the Chamber of Commerce. Sanjay Bhartiya of BIA argued that despite Bihar’s peak electricity demand being 8,000 MW, the state has already developed transmission infrastructure with surplus capacity. He further demanded the merger of Bihar Grid Company with Bihar State Power Transmission Company.
The commission will take a final decision on the proposed tariff revision after reviewing stakeholder feedback.