Raipur, June 16: The Chhattisgarh Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved new electricity tariffs for the fiscal year 2026-27. Domestic consumers will see an increase of 30 to 50 paise per unit, while non-domestic consumers will face a hike of 20 to 40 paise per unit.
Additionally, electricity rates for agricultural pumps have risen by 40 paise per unit. However, the discount for farmers with unsubsidized agricultural connections has been increased from 30% to 40%. This decision is expected to impact the household budgets of regular consumers and the costs for farmers.
The average billing rate for the fiscal year 2026-27 has been set at ₹6.71 per unit, which is 42 paise lower than the average cost rate of ₹7.13 per unit.
Several other changes have been introduced alongside the new rates. Electricity tariffs for local government offices, hostels in rural areas, and certain public utility institutions have been included in the domestic category, providing relief to these entities.
Commission officials announced on Monday that farmers will continue to be allowed to use up to 100 watts of light and fans at agricultural pumps for field-related activities.
Other changes include a reduction in the late payment surcharge from 1.5% per month to 0.04% per day for delayed bill payments. Furthermore, amendments have been made to the discounts available for prepaid meter consumers, and the electric vehicle charging tariff has been expanded for those opting for minus metering.
Commission members Vinod Ganodwale (Legal), Ajay Kumar Singh (Technical), and Secretary Surya Prakash Shukla reported that the electricity distribution company projected a sale of 38,729 million units of electricity and an annual revenue requirement (ARR) of ₹32,520 crores. However, the commission approved a sale of 39,760 million units and an ARR of ₹28,348 crores.
The distribution company claimed a revenue loss of ₹6,304 crores, but after the commission’s review, this figure was reduced to ₹1,662 crores.
The commission stated that it aimed to balance consumer interests with the financial needs of electricity companies. Nevertheless, the implementation of the new rates is expected to place an additional financial burden on electricity consumers in the state, leading to increased electricity expenses in the future.
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