For the third consecutive year, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has announced an electricity tariff hike of 4.83% across all consumer categories, effective from July 1. This increase impacts a wide range of users, with the specifics of the hike varying by consumption levels and consumer types.
According to TNERC’s order, the tariff for domestic consumers will rise by a minimum of Rs 0.20 to a maximum of Rs 0.50 per unit, depending on the consumption slab. For multi-storey buildings with common service connections, the energy charges will increase from Rs 8.15 to Rs 8.55 per unit, and fixed charges will rise from Rs 102 to Rs 107 per kilowatt per month.
Tangedco, the state-run power utility, claims that out of its 2.47 crore consumers, 1 crore will not be affected by the tariff hike. For those consuming up to 200 units, the increase will result in an additional Rs 10 in their bi-monthly bills. Consumers using up to 300 units will see a hike of Rs 30, and those using more than 500 units will face an increase of Rs 80.
For low-tension (LT) consumers other than domestic users, the tariff hike ranges from a minimum of 20 paise per unit to a maximum of 60 paise per unit. The increase in fixed charges for LT consumers spans from Rs 5 to Rs 27 per kilowatt per month. High-tension (HT) consumers will experience a tariff hike ranging from 35 paise to 60 paise per unit, with demand charges increasing by Rs 27 per kVA per month.
Despite the clear outline of the tariff hike, uncertainty remains regarding whether the Tamil Nadu government will absorb the increase for partially and fully subsidized consumer categories such as domestic, huts, agricultural, handlooms, and power looms. Last year, the government absorbed the hike for these categories, but there has been no announcement yet for this year, leaving many consumers in a state of anticipation.