Already Paying Multiple Cesses, Now Fuel Charge: Electricity Consumers in Himachal Feel the Pinch
Shimla: Electricity consumers in Himachal Pradesh are facing a fresh increase in their monthly bills with the State Electricity Board imposing a Fuel and Power Purchase Adjustment Surcharge (FPPAS) of 33.8 paise per unit. The surcharge, applicable on electricity consumed in March 2026, is being recovered through bills issued in June, resulting in an additional burden on nearly 28 lakh consumers across the state.
The latest charge comes at a time when consumers are already paying several cesses and fixed charges along with their electricity bills. The additional levy has increased the monthly bills of domestic consumers by ₹50 to ₹150, depending on their level of consumption.
According to orders issued by the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL), the surcharge has been imposed under the tariff regulations of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC). Approval for the recovery of 33.8 paise per unit was granted after assessing the difference between the projected and actual power purchase and fuel costs incurred during March 2026.
Instructions have been issued by the Board headquarters to all field units and officials for the implementation of the fuel charge in accordance with the Commission’s orders. The surcharge applies to consumers across all categories.
Officials clarified that the levy does not constitute a general tariff hike. Instead, it is a regulatory mechanism used to recover a part of the additional expenditure incurred on power generation and purchase. Under the Fuel and Power Purchase Adjustment Surcharge mechanism, consumers are required to bear a portion of the increased cost when actual expenditure exceeds the estimates approved earlier.
The Board has also moved a petition before the Regulatory Commission seeking a decision on whether the surcharge should continue in the coming months.
The latest increase has added to concerns among consumers who are already paying various charges along with their power bills. Apart from fixed charges, bills also include levies such as sanitation cess and other applicable fees. At the same time, changes in the electricity subsidy framework have reduced the scope of concessions available to domestic consumers.
Under the current arrangement, the state government’s subsidy benefit is limited to a maximum of two electricity meters. Consumers not covered under the revised norms have to bear a larger share of their power expenses.
With multiple levies already in place, the fresh fuel surcharge is expected to put additional pressure on household budgets, particularly for middle-class families and consumers with relatively higher electricity consumption. The issue has also renewed debate over the growing burden of power-related charges on consumers in Himachal Pradesh.
