The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has told the UT electricity department to start monthly billing and improve supply quality immediately, or face action.
Currently, more than 85% consumers (domestic and commercial) are being billed bimonthly in the city. A shift to monthly bills can help reduce the financial burden on the power consumers by around 20%, say department insiders.
“Depending on the consumption slabs, tariff increases for consumers. For instance, if a household consumes 200 units in a month, then under the bimonthly bill system he has to pay ₹806 for a month. But, under monthly billing, he would be charged ₹652,” said a department official requesting anonymity. For up to 150 units consumed, the consumer is charged at ₹2.75 per unit, and between 151-400 units, the rate is ₹4.80 per unit.
