MERC notifies tariff reduction for consumers across categories

The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) has notified a reduction in retail supply tariffs across different consumer categories to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. For Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited, the commission has approved an average tariff reduction of 7 per cent for 2020-21 and almost flat tariff for most of the categories or a further reduced tariff for industry for the remaining four years of the multi-year control period, that is, up to 2024-25. For consumers in Mumbai served by Adani Energy Mumbai Limited and Tata Power, the tariff rates have been slashed by 18-20 per cent for commercial consumers, by 19-20 per cent for commercial consumers, and 10-11 per cent for residential consumers. In a press note dated April 1, 2020, the MERC has also put a moratorium on payment of fixed charges of electricity bills by industrial and commercial consumers for the next three billing cycles beginning from the lockdown date of March 25, 2020.