From July first, the base tariff is expected to increase by Rs 5.72, and fuel charges will rise by Rs 3.41 per unit. This increase will impact both protected and non-protected consumers, with non-protected consumers facing additional fixed taxes and surcharges.
The distinction between protected and non-protected consumers plays a crucial role in determining electricity bills and exceeding the protected limit can lead to a significant increase in monthly expenses, highlighting the importance of monitoring and managing electricity consumption.
If a protected consumer exceeds the limit of 200 units in a month, they will be moved to the non-protected category. The consequences are significant: The monthly bill will increase drastically. The consumer will remain in the non-protected category for 6 months, even if their consumption reduces below 200 units in subsequent months.
Read more: Electricity Bills Revised Fixed Charges for domestic consumers
After 6 months of being in the non-protected category, the consumer can return to the protected category, provided their consumption is within the 200-unit limit.
Who are the Protected and Non-Protected Consumers of Electricity?
The total number of household electricity consumers across the country exceeds 2.28 million. These consumers are divided into two main categories based on their monthly electricity consumption:
Protected Consumers: Households consuming up to 200 units of electricity per month.
Lifeline customers (1-100 units per month) are included in this category.
There is no increase in basic tariff and no monthly fuel charges for Lifeline users.
Non-Protected Consumers: Households consuming more than 200 units per month.
Electricity Tariffs and Monthly Bills
- Lifeline Users (1-50 units):
- Tariff: Rs 3.95 per unit
- Monthly Bill: Rs 200-300
- Lifeline Users (51-100 units):
- Tariff: Rs 7.74 per unit
- Monthly Bill: Up to Rs 1,000
- Protected Consumers (100-200 units):
- Tariff: Rs 10 per unit
- Monthly Bill: Around Rs 2,500 (including monthly and quarterly adjustments)
- Non-Protected Consumers:
- 201-300 units:
- Tariff: Rs 27-30 per unit (including taxes)
- Monthly Bill: At least Rs 6,000
- 301-400 units:
- Tariff: Rs 38 per unit (including taxes)
- Monthly Bill: Rs 15,000-17,000
- 401-500 units:
- Tariff: Rs 42+ per unit (including taxes)
- Monthly Bill: Above Rs 21,000
- 501-600 units:
- Monthly Bill: Around Rs 30,000
- 601-700 units:
- Monthly Bill: More than Rs 35,000
- Above 700 units:
- Monthly Bill: At least Rs 50,000
Transition from Protected to Non-Protected: If a user exceeds the protected limit of 200 units in a month, they will move to the non-protected category and will be charged the non-protected tariff for 6 months.
Return to Protected Status: A user must wait 6 months after exceeding the protected limit to return to the protected category.
Tariff and Fuel Charges Increase: The base tariff is expected to increase by Rs 5.72 and fuel charges by Rs 3.41 per unit from July.
Fixed Taxes and Surcharges: Various fixed taxes and surcharges are levied on non-protected customers.
