The new electricity billing rules from December 2025 propose that consumers who use less power will receive 20 per cent discount. And those who misuse or waste electricity from 5 PM to 9 AM will incur on additional 20 per cent charge on their bill. The primary technology driving this is the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), which relies on smart meters and intelligent grid management systems to get real-time data on electricity consumption. Does the electricity department have sophisticated mechanisms to check for power wastage, especially during peak hours? Decades ago, electricity-hungry devices were mainly appliances, lights, the radio, and the TV. Today it's energy-sucking PCs, charging phones, routers, pool filters, security systems, surveillance cameras, baby monitors, smart speakers, etc. What about instances of streetlights in cities like Ponda, Panaji, and Margao being left on in broad daylight? This points to a general lack of monitoring and accountability for electricity consumption in public assets. The distribution network is in a poor condition, leading to frequent power failures. Places like Chorao have unstable power supply even as the electricity tariff for domestic consumers is on the rise.
