"Government is not responsible for rise in electricity bills": Nandita Gorlosa

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• Jun 8, 2023 | Dhupali Das

Assam cabinet minister Nandita Gorlosa stated on Tuesday that the state government is not responsible for raising...

Digital Desk: Assam cabinet minister Nandita Gorlosa stated on Tuesday that the state government is not responsible for raising the per-unit price of electricity and that decisions are made by the Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC).

Speaking to the reporters about the increase in electricity rates, Nandita Gorlosa said, "Temperatures are rising every day, which is one of the main causes of the problems. Rising temperatures have caused technical issues."

"As a result, a number of places are currently experiencing power outages. We had to resort to load shedding due to a lack of power," she added. 

"Electricity bills are not rising. "The rise in petrol prices has resulted in an unexpected increase in electricity rates," the minister said. 

She added that the government does not make decisions on electricity price hikes. Gorlosa said, "The administration does not decide to raise the price of electricity. The Electricity Regulatory Commission made this decision."

"The regulatory commission will determine whether the electricity bills have dropped or increased," Gorlosa added.

It should be remembered that the APDCL announced on November 25, last year, that it would impose a Fuel and Power Purchase Price Adjustment (FPPPA) tax of 79 paise per unit on all categories of consumers' power bills for the months of November, December 2022, and January 2023.

Earlier this month, Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) decided to hike the monthly cost of energy use, causing difficulties for the residents of the state.

According to reports, APDCL raised their charges by 30 paise to 70 paise per unit of electricity consumed. The cost will be 30 paise per unit for users under the subsidised Jeevan Dhara plan, and 70 paise for other consumers.