The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has announced a 4.83% hike in electricity tariffs for all consumers, effective from 1 July 2024. This increase, based on consumer price inflation (CPI), affects both energy and fixed charges.
For domestic consumers, the new tariff order introduces changes across various consumption slabs. For instance, the cost per unit under the minimum slab of 400 units bi-monthly will rise from ₹4.60 to ₹4.80. For the 401-500 units slab, the price will increase from ₹6.15 to ₹6.45 per unit; for 501-600 units, from ₹8.15 to ₹8.55; for 601-800 units, from ₹9.20 to ₹9.65; for 801-1000 units, from ₹10.20 to ₹10.70; and for usage above 1,000 units, the cost will rise from ₹11.25 to ₹11.80 per unit. Consequently, a consumer using 500 units will now pay ₹2,565 bi-monthly, up from ₹2,455.
The hike also affects common facilities in multi-storey apartments, public lighting, water supply, sewage, places of worship, cottage, and micro industries, private educational institutions and hostels, industries, and IT services. Specifically, for multi-storey apartments (LT tariff category 1E), the rate increases from ₹8.15 to ₹8.55 per unit, with fixed charges rising from ₹102 to ₹107 per kilowatt per month.
This tariff hike comes amid claims from Dravidianist groups that electricity charges in Gujarat are higher than those in Tamil Nadu.
However, a comparison of electricity rates between the two states debunks this myth:
- For 600 units, the electricity bill in Tamil Nadu is ₹2,940, whereas in Gujarat it is ₹2,745.
- For 800 units, Tamil Nadu consumers pay ₹4,870, compared to ₹3,755 in Gujarat.
- For 1,000 units, the bill in Tamil Nadu amounts to ₹7,010, while in Gujarat it is ₹4,765.
Gujarat’s Residential General Purpose (RGP) tariff, applicable to all services in residential premises, also shows lower fixed and energy charges. For non-BPL consumers, the fixed charges are Rs. 25 per month for single-phase supply and Rs. 65 per month for three-phase supply. Energy charges vary from 320 paise per unit for the first 50 units to 505 paise per unit for consumption above 250 units. BPL consumers enjoy even lower rates, with the first 50 units charged at 150 paise per unit.
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