<p class="bodytext">The KERC order allowing Bescom to recover revenue deficit by collecting higher charges from consumers for power consumed in 2024-25 has drawn the ire of consumers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The experts opined that such order defeats the purpose of a multi-year tariff system. KERC had issued a multi-year tariff order (2025-26 to 2027-28) sparking hope among consumers that the tariff will not change every year. However, recently, KERC revised its own order increasing the tariff for industries and commercial establishments and now it has approved the true up charges.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“The whole idea of the multi-year tariff order was to ensure tariff certainty. Tariff certainty helps industries and establishments plan their operation costs. Such variations hurt their business. We are not progressing in the right direction,” said M G Prabhakar, energy expert and former advisory council member, Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC).</p>.Power bills in Bengaluru to go up from May.<p class="bodytext">The order will increase the burden on industries and result in losses, industrialists said. “We cannot go back to our customers and ask them to pay us more. Such retrospective orders hurt the industries and put them under pressure,” said Uma Reddy, President, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI).</p>.<p class="bodytext">Many domestic consumers also opined that it was unfair to bill the customers for power consumed back in 2024-25. “For those covered under Gruha Jyothi, it may not be a big problem. But we moved to a rented house after the announcement of the scheme and we are not eligible for the scheme. Every family plans its budget based on the expenses. If we knew back in 2024 that the power charges are high, we would have tried to bring down our consumption. It is unfair for Bescom to now say that we have to pay more for what we consumed nearly two years ago,” said Srinivas K, a resident of JP Nagar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Many others also opined that Bescom should first improve its performance before increasing the tariff. “The losses are high and even to this day power cuts are common. In such a situation, increasing the charges alone without working on ground is against the consumers,” said Raghav, a resident of Yelahanka.</p>
<p class="bodytext">The KERC order allowing Bescom to recover revenue deficit by collecting higher charges from consumers for power consumed in 2024-25 has drawn the ire of consumers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The experts opined that such order defeats the purpose of a multi-year tariff system. KERC had issued a multi-year tariff order (2025-26 to 2027-28) sparking hope among consumers that the tariff will not change every year. However, recently, KERC revised its own order increasing the tariff for industries and commercial establishments and now it has approved the true up charges.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“The whole idea of the multi-year tariff order was to ensure tariff certainty. Tariff certainty helps industries and establishments plan their operation costs. Such variations hurt their business. We are not progressing in the right direction,” said M G Prabhakar, energy expert and former advisory council member, Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC).</p>.Power bills in Bengaluru to go up from May.<p class="bodytext">The order will increase the burden on industries and result in losses, industrialists said. “We cannot go back to our customers and ask them to pay us more. Such retrospective orders hurt the industries and put them under pressure,” said Uma Reddy, President, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI).</p>.<p class="bodytext">Many domestic consumers also opined that it was unfair to bill the customers for power consumed back in 2024-25. “For those covered under Gruha Jyothi, it may not be a big problem. But we moved to a rented house after the announcement of the scheme and we are not eligible for the scheme. Every family plans its budget based on the expenses. If we knew back in 2024 that the power charges are high, we would have tried to bring down our consumption. It is unfair for Bescom to now say that we have to pay more for what we consumed nearly two years ago,” said Srinivas K, a resident of JP Nagar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Many others also opined that Bescom should first improve its performance before increasing the tariff. “The losses are high and even to this day power cuts are common. In such a situation, increasing the charges alone without working on ground is against the consumers,” said Raghav, a resident of Yelahanka.</p>
