Urges Large Consumers To Adopt Captive Green Power To Survive Exorbitant Costs
The Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA) expresses its profound disappointment and shock over the recent Order passed by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) in Case No. 75 of 2025. It is highly unfortunate that the Commission has chosen to rubber-stamp and enforce the exact same anti-industry tariff structures that were previously finalized in the illegal review order dated 25 June 2025.
That illegal June 2025 order was rightfully quashed and set aside by the Hon’ble Bombay High Court for blatantly bypassing the mandatory public consultation process. Following the Courts’ directives, a fresh public hearing process was initiated. During these hearings, VIA and numerous other stakeholders submitted extensive, logical, and data-backed representations. Tragically, these public hearings appear to have been merely a procedural formality. MERC has entirely ignored the logical objections raised by the consumers, prioritizing the Discom’s revenue gaps over the survival of industries in Maharashtra.
VIA also would like to highlight that the claim by MSEDCL that power tariff has not increased through this order, it is important to check the final total power tariff inclusive of Fixed Demand Charges, Fuel Adjustment Cost (FAC) & Tax of Sale of electricity (TOS) and not just the base tariff. Effectively the landed cost of power has become more than Rs.11 per unit for Industrial connections too. Maharashtra is the only state where power cost is in double digits.
The Absurdity of the Grid Support Charges (GSC) : A Death Blow to Rooftop Solar We are particularly appalled by the Commission’s absurd and regressive decision to impose Grid Support Charges (GSC). In a move that is highly discouraging to the future of the net-metering model, MERC has ruled that these charges will be levied on the complete solar generation (gross generation) produced by the rooftop systems, rather than just the surplus energy exported to the grid.
It is fundamentally flawed and legally unreasonable to penalize consumers for electricity that is generated and used entirely within their own premises at their own expense. Since consumers already pay demand charges to maintain the distribution network, adding a GSC on gross generation is an unfair double burden. This draconian move will severely undermine confidence in renewable energy policies and destroy the financial viability of existing and future net-metering solar models.
Banking related issues :
The open access concession in solar O.A. shall be adversely affected due to change in use of banked power. Earlier, the banked power was allowed to use in 17 hours of day but in this tariff order only 8 hours (9.00 to 5.00 pm) is allowed to use banked power. The unused power shall be lapsed in month end.
This dispensation is applicable from the retrospective effect of July 2025 and a huge amount will be debited to all the solar O.A. consumers, which will make the process absolutely unviable.
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