Dhavalikar said bills issued between November 2025 and June 23, 2026, will be regenerated, with excess demand charges, excess energy charges and related penalties removed. Consumers who have already paid these amounts will receive adjustments in their upcoming electricity bills, and no delayed payment charges will be levied on the revised bills.
"Till today, around 7.5 lakh erroneous power bills have been corrected. Our engineers will complete the remaining work within the next one year," Dhavalikar said.
The minister said the government was honouring Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's assurance to address the issue, adding that consumers would be charged only the normal tariff for the electricity actually consumed.
Dhavalikar also announced automatic regularisation of sanctioned load to resolve long-pending issues arising from outdated domestic connections.
Under the new mechanism, the department will automatically approve the highest load recorded by the meter for single-phase LT connections up to 5 kW and three-phase connections up to 10 kW, eliminating the need for most consumers to apply for load enhancement.
"Many households that originally had two-point connections gradually increased their electricity usage over the years. We have now regularised these loads automatically," he said.
Chief Electrical Engineer Stephen Fernandes said around 7,500 consumers had paid excess load penalties, with 80-90 per cent already settling their bills. Those amounts will now be credited back through revised bills.
He said consumers whose load exceeds the automatic limits of 5 kW for single-phase and 10 kW for three-phase connections must apply online within three months for formal regularisation.
"It is not only about revenue. It is about compliance, infrastructure capability, and preventing fire and safety incidents," Fernandes said.
Explaining the background, Fernandes said the penalties were introduced to comply with tariff orders issued by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) and to avoid regulatory and audit objections. However, following the government's decision, the State will provide budgetary support to waive the penalty burden on consumers.
The Electricity Department also simplified the process for obtaining new single-phase LT connections. Applicants will now require only proof of identity and ownership, while the earlier requirement of submitting a wiring test report from a licensed electrical contractor has been removed. Responsibility for the safety of internal wiring will remain with the consumer.
A departmental circular implementing the new measures is expected to be issued later this week.
