State Government Has No Role In Fixing Electricity Tariffs : Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath.

Agartala, Tripura, 12th of August, 2026 : Reports of dissatisfaction among electricity consumers in the state regarding power tariffs have been appearing in various media reports over the past few days. The state government is aware of the issue and will take positive steps for the benefit of electricity consumers in the coming days, as it is a people-friendly government. Hon’ble Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath stated this at a press conference held at the Secretariat on Tuesday (11th August, 2026).

The Minister said that a meeting on the issue was recently held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, attended by the Power Minister, Finance Minister, Chief Secretary, and secretaries of the concerned departments.

Explaining the process of electricity tariff determination, the Power Minister said that the Electricity Regulatory Commission fixes electricity tariffs. It is an independent body. Before determining tariffs, the Commission publishes detailed notifications in media. Based on suggestions, demands, or objections received from individuals and organizations, the Commission considers changes related to electricity tariffs and then sends its recommendations to the Power Corporation for final implementation. The Power Corporation prepares the final electricity bill by adding fixed charges, Fuel and Power Purchase Cost Adjustment (FPPCA), and the tariff approved by the Commission. In this process, the state government has no role. The entire tariff determination mechanism is managed by the Commission and the Power Corporation. He added that the Power Corporation has been functioning under this system after 2008.

The Minister said that the state currently has 10.68 lakh electricity consumers. Of them, more than 4 lakh households have been provided with smart meters, while 1.64 lakh households have been equipped with prepaid meters. He further stated that during the previous government’s tenure, a work order worth ₹80.07 crore was issued in 2015 for the installation of smart meters, with a completion deadline of two years. However, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report covering the period from March 2015 to June 2022, none of the meters installed under that work order is currently functional. The Power Minister also stated that officials at all levels of the department have been instructed not to collect electricity bills from consumers who have received abnormally high bills from May this year until a thorough investigation is completed.