Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: A wave of complaints over steep electricity bills, particularly from consumers in South Goa, has prompted the Electricity Department to issue a clarification, stating that the recent increase in bill amounts is due to technical and regulatory changes rather than any arbitrary hike.
Superintending Engineer Mayur Hede explained that many consumers received bills covering extended billing cycles of 45 days or more instead of the usual one-month period. This, he said, happened after departmental staff were assigned to duties related to the SIR process, leading to delays in meter readings and bill generation. As a result, consumers were issued consolidated bills for one-and-a-half to two months, making the amounts appear unusually high.
Hede also pointed to the revised tariff structure implemented by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) from October last year. The new framework introduced additional consumer categories and stricter norms regarding sanctioned load limits. Consumers drawing power beyond their approved load are now being charged penalties, which are reflected in their monthly bills.
He noted that these penalty provisions have been in place since October and are not a recent development. The department had earlier published newspaper notices advising consumers to apply online for enhancement of their sanctioned load if their consumption had increased. However, several consumers have yet to regularise their load, resulting in additional charges.
Hede urged consumers to seek load enhancement at the earliest to prevent further penalties in upcoming billing cycles.
While the department’s clarification may address some concerns, discontent continues in several areas, with residents alleging that the sudden spike in bills has strained household budgets.
The issue has also drawn political attention. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has consistently highlighted affordable electricity as a core plank of its agenda, has taken up the matter. Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas has been conducting awareness meetings in his constituency and other parts of Salcete to educate consumers about billing components and high power costs.
Even as political developments elsewhere in the state gather momentum, the debate over electricity bills remains a key concern for many Goan households.
