Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Aug 1: Domestic electricity consumers across Goa have once again complained of inflated power bills, alleging that charges remain unusually high despite the State government's assurance of relief. The Electricity Department, however, has denied any errors in billing.

Several consumers said their monthly electricity bills continue to be significantly higher than usual, raising concerns over rising household expenses.

A resident of Margao said he received a bill of over Rs 11,000 for May and more than Rs 7,000 for June, nearly three to four times his average monthly bill.

"These charges are almost three to four times my past average. I paid under protest," the consumer said.

In Panaji, another household reported a nearly 200 per cent increase in its electricity bill, which exceeded Rs 6,000 compared to the usual Rs 2,000.

"We were earlier told that it was due to penalties for excessive load and that these would be refunded. But the bills don't reflect any relief," the consumer alleged.

The complaints come weeks after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced the withdrawal of penalties imposed on consumers for exceeding their sanctioned electricity load.

The Electricity Department had subsequently issued a circular stating that fines already collected, estimated at around Rs 43 crore, would be adjusted in consumers' future electricity bills.

Despite the announcement, several consumers claim they have not received the promised benefit and continue to be billed at higher rates, adding to financial pressure amid rising living costs.

The State government had notified a 5.9 per cent increase in electricity tariffs in November last year following approval by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC). The revised tariff came into effect from January 1.

Although the tariff hike was described as modest, many consumers reported that their overall electricity bills had increased by more than 100 per cent.

The controversy first surfaced earlier this summer when households across Goa received unusually high electricity bills. At the time, department officials attributed the increase to consumption exceeding sanctioned load limits.

The issue intensified with the rollout of smart electricity meters, leading many consumers to suspect that the new metering system was responsible for the higher bills.

The developments triggered protests across the State, with opposition parties accusing the government of implementing smart meters without adequate public consultation or awareness.

Several civic organisations also demanded immediate relief, arguing that the penalties for exceeding sanctioned load were arbitrary and unjustified.

Amid mounting public pressure, the government suspended the installation of smart meters and withdrew its decision to impose penalties for breaches of sanctioned electricity load limits.