Staff Reporter
Panaji
Amid rising summer temperature, consumers in
the state are staring at a power tariff hike with the electricity department planning an increase in
energy charges.
The proposed tariff hike is for the year 2025-26.
In the last two years, the impact of power tariff hikes in the state has been mainly on domestic households. In 2024-25, power tariffs were raised by average 3.5 per cent, with the brunt of the increase on low tension domestic consumers in the first two slabs who comprise around 54 per cent of the consumer base of the electricity department.
As per the tariff order of the previous year, low tension domestic consumers also had to shell out higher amount on fixed charges in the electricity bill every month.
Power tariffs in 2022-23, were raised by average 6 per cent, but the tariff for domestic households during the year was raised by 9-13 per cent. Industrial consumers saw a tariff increase of 2-6 per cent in 2023.
According to the electricity department, low tension domestic consumers are heavily subsidised as the average cost of supply (ACS) to the segment is Rs 5.68 per unit (in 2022-23), while the average billing rate for domestic consumers is just Rs 2.87 per unit.
The Goa’s peak power demand has increased over the years from 780 mW to 800 mW and further 850 mW in 2024, and expected to touch 1,000 mW by 2030. The state is now trying to generate green solar power.
Meanwhile, arrears in electricity bills of power consumers in the state which was Rs 716 crore in 2021-22, touched Rs 1082.6 crore, as on September 2024, according to the Power Minister, Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar, in the assembly.
