Bhubaneswar: Electricity was a major topic during the last elections. The BJD had promised to provide 100 units of free electricity if it came to power. Additionally, it had announced that from July onwards, the government would cover people’s electricity bills. On the other hand, the BJP had pledged 300 units of free electricity through the Surya Ghar Yojana in its manifesto, and BJP leaders had publicly announced that people would receive 300 units of free electricity.
However, after the change in government, neither the Surya Ghar Yojana nor the free electricity promise was implemented. This has led to growing frustration among the public.
Meanwhile, two government-owned electricity generation companies, OPGC and OHPC, have submitted proposals to the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) to increase electricity tariffs.
OERC Hearing Begins Today
According to the annual revenue requirement (ARR) proposal, the wholesale price of electricity in 2023-24 was Rs3.29 per unit. In 2024-25, the previous government had reduced it by 1 paise, bringing it down to Rs3.28 per unit. However, if Gridco’s proposal for a 54 paise hike per unit is approved, the price will increase to Rs3.82 per unit.
For 2025-26, Gridco has set a target of selling 38,814 million units of electricity. The total cost for this supply is estimated to be around Rs15,347 crore. Even after excluding return on equity, the required amount would be Rs14,820 crore.
Consumers Worried About Tariff Hike
According to reports, from this year onwards, the electricity tariff is expected to increase by 74 paise per unit. In December last year, Gridco had submitted a proposal to OERC for a tariff revision.