The Nagpur Residential Hotels Association (NRHA) has criticised the existing electricity tariff structure and Time-of-Day (ToD) regulations, calling them “grossly unfair, irrational, and anti-industry,” and claiming they are placing the hospitality sector under severe financial pressure.
NRHA President Tejinder Singh Renu said hotel owners across Nagpur had invested heavily in solar energy systems based on the policies and agreements earlier framed by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited. “Changing the rules mid-way and applying them retrospectively is nothing short of a breach of trust. It sends a damaging message to all investors supporting green energy,” he said.
According to NRHA, hotels are unable to efficiently utilise solar power under the current ToD structure because their electricity usage peaks during evening and night hours. The association claimed that an analysis of members’ bills revealed that only 4.6% of electricity consumption falls during ToD hours, due to which just 7.6% of generated solar energy is utilised while nearly 92.4% is exported to MSEDCL.
The association further alleged that hotel electricity bills have increased by nearly 110% after the revised ToD timings, despite consumption remaining almost the same. NRHA cited an example where a hotel consumed 11,852 units in March 2025 and received a bill ofRs 2.15 lakh, whereas in March 2026, consumption stood at 11,840 units but the bill reportedly jumped to Rs 4.53 lakh.
NRHA also claimed that instead of receiving fair compensation for surplus solar power, hoteliers are being charged ₹1.92 per unit for the electricity generated through their own solar systems. “This effectively converts a green investment into a recurring financial burden. Hotels are being penalized for adopting sustainable practices,” Renu added.
The matter was discussed during an executive body meeting held at Hotel Pritam, after which NRHA appealed to the State Government and the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for immediate intervention. The association demanded that hotels be categorised under the industrial segment and separate ToD timings be introduced for the hospitality industry to allow better night-time use of solar energy, ideally from 10 PM to 12 noon.
NRHA further stated that aligning such reforms with Tourism Policy 2024 would help create a fair and practical solution benefiting both the hospitality sector and renewable energy growth.
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