Will Maharashtra's Industrial Electricity Tariff Be the Cheapest in India?

Mumbai, July 16 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, announced in the state council that the industrial electricity tariff in Maharashtra is set to be the most affordable compared to other states in India.

Currently, Maharashtra's tariff stands at Rs 8.32 per unit, which is expected to decrease to Rs 7.38 in the upcoming phase. In contrast, Tamil Nadu has a tariff of Rs 9.04, Gujarat at Rs 8.98, and Karnataka at Rs 7.55.

Fadnavis assured that the industrial electricity tariff in Maharashtra would remain low in the coming years and that there would be no rise due to the tariff true-up process.

This statement was made in response to a question from member Abhijit Vanzari about steps being taken to mitigate the increase in electricity tariffs.

As the minister overseeing the energy department, Fadnavis explained that electricity procurement will now utilize the 'Merit Order Dispatch' method.

This method allows for the purchase of electricity from private enterprises at lower rates.

Furthermore, costs have decreased substantially due to the integration of solar, wind, and battery storage technologies. Given that these contracts are long-term (25 years), electricity prices are expected to remain stable.

Fadnavis highlighted that in the previous tariff petition, industrial and commercial tariffs were reduced at the expense of residential consumers. However, following objections from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (Mahavitaran), tariffs were recently lowered across all categories by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission.

He noted that approximately 70 percent of consumers utilize less than 100 units of electricity, and they will benefit from a 26 percent rate cut. Additionally, there will be reductions for higher consumption as well.

Significant updates have also been made to solar pump schemes for farmers, with a new initiative for booster pumps. The cost for the single pole scheme is only Rs 15,000, and farmers will be supplied with 10 HP solar pumps as per their needs. Any complaints regarding this are being addressed through the Solar Unified Portal.

CM Fadnavis also mentioned that smart meters will be deployed in the agricultural sector to monitor electricity usage accurately. This will facilitate precise tracking of electricity consumption in agriculture, aiding in future policy formulation.

He added that a dedicated solarisation proposal has been developed for lift irrigation, and the availability of electricity through traditional means in dark zones will be evaluated.