Srinagar, September 1: Electricity consumers across Jammu and Kashmir will face revised power tariffs from Tuesday, with an average increase of 6.83 per cent coming into effect from September 1.
The revised tariff, approved by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, will remain applicable for electricity consumption up to March 31, 2027.
Under the new structure, metered domestic consumers will pay ₹2.45 per unit for monthly consumption up to 200 units. The rate will rise to ₹4.20 per unit for consumption between 201 and 400 units, while consumption above 400 units will attract a charge of ₹4.60 per unit.
The fixed charge for domestic consumers has also been revised to ₹10 per kW per month.
The new tariff framework also introduces Time-of-Day billing for consumers with a sanctioned load above 10 kW, excluding those in the agricultural category. Under ToD billing, electricity charges will vary according to the period during which power is consumed, with separate rates for peak and off-peak hours.
The tariff revision follows an assessment of the revenue requirements of Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited and Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited.
The commission assessed the combined annual revenue requirement of the two distribution companies at ₹10,275.72 crore. Against this, their projected revenue under the existing tariff structure was estimated at ₹7,352.87 crore, resulting in a revenue gap of ₹2,922.85 crore.
According to the commission, recovering the entire gap through consumer tariffs would have required an increase of nearly 40 per cent. The financial support of ₹2,420.78 crore committed by the J&K Government has helped bring the average tariff increase down to 6.83 per cent.
The tariff increase has faced criticism from political parties and sections of consumers across Jammu and Kashmir. Concerns have been raised over the additional burden on households and the government's earlier commitment regarding 200 units of free electricity.
The revised rates will now be reflected in electricity bills based on consumption recorded from September 1.
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