Latest news with #MaharashtraElectricityRegulatoryCommission
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Mandals urged to get temporary power line at domestic rates for safe Ganesh festival
Nagpur: With Ganesh festival fast approaching, mandals have begun erecting pandals and finalising arrangements, including lighting set-up that require a safe power connection. Anticipating a surge in electricity demand and the tendency of some organisers to resort to unauthorised hook connections during festivities, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has issued an advisory urging Ganesh mandals to avail official temporary connections. These connections, the utility clarified, will be provided at domestic tariff rates to ensure both affordability and safety. MSEDCL appealed to mandals to accord electrical safety the highest priority. "Only official and safe electricity connections must be availed to prevent accidents that could cast a shadow on the celebrations," the company stated, cautioning against power theft through illegal means. The state govt has recently declared Ganeshotsav Maharashtra's official state festival, with large-scale celebrations expected to draw even greater electricity usage across districts. Highlighting the new measures, officials said that the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) introduced domestic tariff rates for temporary supply during festivals to encourage legal connections. "This provides mandals a cheaper and safer alternative, removing the need to depend on unauthorised connections. Power for pandals, lighting, cultural events, and mahaprasad distribution should only be arranged through licensed contractors," MSEDCL said. The advisory added that mandals must maintain safe distances from poles and transformers, ensure proper earthing of cables and devices, and avoid multi-plug overloading. To streamline access, MSEDCL set up special camps across all its offices to guide mandals through the process of applying for temporary supply. Required documents include registration certificates, civic body permissions, police permission, and electrical inspector approvals. Assuring organisers of quick refunds, the company said deposits will be returned without delay, with online payments refunded immediately after the final bill is settled once festivities end. To assist mandals during emergencies, MSEDCL has kept its helplines nos 1912, 19120, 18002123435, and 18002333435 operational round-the-clock. It has also advised organisers to keep the contact numbers of local engineers readily available. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Over 3.24 Lakh Smart TOD Meters Installed in Nagpur, Wardha
Nagpur: Amid opposition, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd ( ) has increased the pace of installing smart meters, with over 3.24 lakh smart 'Time of Day' (TOD) meters installed so far in Nagpur and Wardha districts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The rollout, earlier restricted to industrial users, is now benefiting domestic consumers with lower daytime power tariffs after the new tariffs were implemented following the order of the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC). An MSEDCL official said that from July 1, households fitted with TOD meters received a discount of 80 paise per unit on electricity consumed between 9am and 5pm, which will be reflected in consumers' August bills. "The rebate will rise gradually to Rs1 per unit by 2029–30. Customers can make noticeable savings by operating high-power appliances such as washing machines, geysers, and air-conditioners during these hours," the official said. So far, 2.78 lakh smart meters have been installed in Nagpur district and 46,005 in Wardha district, covering new connections, solar net metering systems, and replacements for faulty meters. MSEDCL is installing these devices free of cost. The utility highlighted that TOD meters record power usage time-wise, ensuring accurate billing and eliminating manual errors. "Consumers can monitor their consumption in real time via a mobile app, helping them shift usage to cheaper slots. The meters are postpaid and emit far less radiation than mobile phones, making them safe for health," said MSEDCL. MSEDCL is carrying out the installation of smart meters even amid opposition from several citizens, organisations, and social groups, who claim that bills have increased after the installation of TOD meters. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now MSEDCL also dispelled rumours that smart meters lead to higher bills, stressing that they actually help customers plan their usage, save money, and contribute to energy conservation. The technology will also help curb electricity theft and reduce distribution losses. Calling smart meters "a crucial step towards a transparent and efficient power supply," MSEDCL has urged all consumers to cooperate with its teams and agencies in completing the installation drive.
Hans India
16-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Industrial electricity tariff in Maharashtra to be cheaper than other states: CM Fadnavis
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said in the state council said that the industrial electricity tariff in his state will be the lowest compared to other states. According to the new tariff, Maharashtra's tariff is currently Rs 8.32 per unit, which will come down to Rs 7.38 in the next phase. In comparison, Tamil Nadu's tariff is Rs 9.04, Gujarat Rs 8.98 and Karnataka Rs 7.55. Industrial electricity tariff in Maharashtra will remain low in the next few years. Also, the tariff will not increase due to the tariff true-up process, he added. CM Fadnavis said this while replying to a question raised by member Abhijit Vanzari about the measures being taken to reduce the increase in electricity tariff in the state. The Chief Minister, who holds the energy department portfolio, said that electricity procurement will now be done through the 'Merit Order Dispatch' method. Due to this, electricity is purchased from private companies at cheaper rates. Also, the cost of purchasing electricity has come down significantly due to the use of solar, wind and battery storage. Since this is a long-term (25-year) contract, electricity prices will remain stable, he added. CM Fadnavis said that in the previous tariff petition, industrial and commercial tariffs were reduced by putting a burden on residential consumers. But due to objections to this raised by the state run power distribution company Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (Mahavitaran), now tariffs have been reduced in all categories during the recent order released by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission. 'About 70 per cent of consumers consume electricity below 100 units and they will get a 26 per cent rate cut. Along with this, there will also be a rate cut on consumption above 100 units,' he said. 'Significant changes have also been made in the solar pump schemes for farmers and a new scheme has been introduced for booster pumps. The cost of the single pole scheme is only Rs 15,000. Farmers are ready to be provided with 10 HP horsepower solar pumps as per their requirement. If there is any complaint in this regard, it is being resolved on the Solar Unified Portal,' said the chief minister. CM Fadnavis informed that smart meters will be installed in the agricultural sector to control electricity consumption. This will make it possible to understand exactly how much electricity is used for agriculture. This will allow accurate measurement of electricity consumption in the agricultural sector and will help in formulating future policies, he added. According to the chief minister, a separate solarisation proposal has been prepared for lift irrigation. He mentioned that provision of electricity through conventional methods in dark zones will also be considered.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Hoteliers seek intervention of CM over MERC's revised tariff
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission's (MERC) revised tariff order sparked angry reactions from the hotel industry, with hoteliers seeking chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' intervention to get relief from higher power charges. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The MERC, which is the power regulator, on June 25 issued a revised tariff order superseding its earlier multi-year tariff order issued in March. Hoteliers raised serious objections to the revised order, terming it 'inconsistent', especially in comparison to the earlier tariff order. "One of the most regressions is the reversal of the classification of hotels from the 'industrial' to the 'commercial' category, which has been termed unjustified and discriminatory by the hospitality industry. The MERC in its earlier order appropriately categorised hotels under the Industrial Tariff structure, in line with the government resolution (GR), dated Dec 3, 2020," said Harpreet Singh, president of the Aurangabad Hotels and Restaurants Association. Sunil Choudhary, the association's secretary, said the revised order has many flaws related to the finalised five-year tariff, a drastic increase in charges, and adverse amendments to time-of-day (ToD) benefits for solar users. "When state govt granted industry status to hotels with retrospective effect from April 1, 2021, no regulatory body can arbitrarily override or recategorise hotels under the commercial bracket. Falling under the commercial category would force hoteliers to pay double the power tariff," he said. The Aurangabad Hotels and Restaurants Association urged CM Devendra Fadnavis to intervene and direct MERC and MSEDCL to offer relief to hoteliers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The govt must ensure hotels are correctly classified under the industrial tariff category. We also seek transparency and uniform application of policies affecting the hospitality sector, which is a key contributor to employment and tourism in Maharashtra," the association said. Fadnavis, who holds the portfolio of the Energy sector, could not be reached for comments.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
MSEDCL hikes tariffs by up to 3% for 100+unit users
The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission ( MERC ) has come out with the tariff orders for state power utility firm MSEDCL, which shows a marginal increase in tariff from 0.5 to 3 per cent for low and high-end residential consumers having monthly electricity consumption over 100 units. In the 0-100 consumption category, there is relief as the orders showed a drop of 9 per cent in tariff this financial year. The new tariffs will come into effect from July 1. MSEDCL tariffs continue to be the highest in the state as compared to BEST, Tata Power and Adani Electricity. MSEDCL managing director Lokesh Chandra said that 70percent of consumers were in the 0-100 units category and they have got huge relief. "In the past, we witnessed a minimum 10 per cent hike in tariff and this year we have changed the scenario. In the next five years, tariff is set to drop furthermore as we are procuring more green power through solar, hydro etc, saving Rs 66,000 crore in power purchase," Chandra said, adding that tariffs will not go up next five years for all including industry ensuring more industries come to Maharashtra. Tariffs will drop eventually for all residential users till 2029-30. For example, in the 301-500 units consumption category, there is a drop of 13 per cent, 26 per cent for 0-100 units etc. "There is an 80 per cent discount in solar hours in the residential category for smart meters and that's how all monthly bills will be lower than existing," Chandra said. Experts said that the last tariff announced by MERC in March had a 4-13 per cent drop in rates for MSEDCL which was better than the present tariff structure. "The last tariff order was challenged by MSEDCL which filed a review petition citing discrepancies and the order was stayed for two months," he said. Another feature of the order included an additional 10 per cent TOD discount for daytime electricity use for residential consumers with smart meters and incentives for residential consumers generating solar energy.
