Regulatory Commission orders conversion of unauthorised domestic connections to commercial, recovery of arrears for up to 10 years
Shimla: Urban electricity consumers in Himachal Pradesh who have installed domestic electricity meters without getting their building maps approved will soon be charged commercial rates. The Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission has ordered strict action against such unauthorised connections. As per the directive, these domestic meters will be converted into commercial ones, and the state electricity board will recover pending dues for the last ten years.
The decision, which had been pending since the tenure of the previous government, has now been revived and the Electricity Board is preparing for its implementation across urban divisions. Officials have confirmed that the number of such unauthorised domestic meters is high, particularly in cities like Shimla, Mandi, Solan, and Dharamshala.
Thousands of Consumers to Be Affected; Back Dues for Up to a Decade
Earlier, the Electricity Board installed domestic meters upon request without insisting on approved building maps. Due to this lax approach, thousands of electricity connections were granted in urban areas without the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC) from municipal bodies. Now, such meters will be treated as commercial, resulting in higher tariffs and a substantial financial burden on affected households.
To retain domestic status, consumers must now obtain an NOC from the local municipal corporation, nagar parishad, or nagar panchayat by getting their building maps officially approved.
The Regulatory Commission has also directed the Electricity Board to recover commercial tariff arrears from such consumers for up to ten years. Officials are in the process of compiling data from various sub-divisions, and the final list will be forwarded to the Board’s management for action.
An official source said, “This is a long-standing issue. Many urban consumers have been paying lower domestic rates despite not having approved construction. As per the new orders, this cannot continue.”
The state government has also completed KYC verification for electricity consumers. In the future, only one verified domestic meter per family will be eligible for the government power subsidy. Consumers with unauthorised meters will not only lose the subsidy benefit but will also be reclassified under the commercial category.
The decision is likely to face opposition, as many urban residents could see their power bills rise sharply. With the added burden of retrospective dues, households may also challenge the move, citing the Electricity Board’s earlier leniency in installing such meters.
However, the Regulatory Commission has taken a firm stand, aiming to ensure accountability and prevent misuse of domestic tariffs and subsidies. The implementation is expected to begin soon once the Electricity Board finalizes the list of affected connections.
