Patna: The Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Wednesday announced a 5 per cent power tariff hike on average for rural, urban domestic users for the 2018-19 fiscal.

The Bihar State Electricity Board had proposed an increase of 44 per cent on average in tariff, but BERC gave its nod for increase of 5 per cent on average.

As per the new tariff structure, there will be an increase of 40 to 60 paise per unit from existing charges in domestic uses.

The existing power charge for domestic use is Rs 5.75/unit, which has been increased to Rs 6.15/unit for 1 to 100 units of consumption.

Similarly, for power consumption from 101 to 200 units, the old charge per unit was Rs 6.50 which has been gone up to Rs 6.95.

For power consumption from 201 units to 300 units, the old charge per unit was Rs 7.25 which has gone up to Rs 7.80.

For above 300 units of power consumption, the charge per unit has gone up from Rs 8 to Rs 8.60.

"Those consumers having power consumption of 100 units will have to pay Rs 40 more than what they are paying right now," a senior BERC official explained under cover of anonymity.

"Though there has been increase in power tariff by 5 per cent on average, the actual power tariff will come down once the government announces subsidy for power consumers after reviewing the tariff rate."

Chief minister Nitish Kumar had last year announced a subsidy of Rs 3.10 per unit for rural domestic consumers and Rs 1.48 per unit for urban domestic consumers to compensate last year's stiff hike of 55 per cent, bringing down the actual power tariff rate substantially.

Government sources said that this time too, the actual power tariff increase would be around 15 to 20 paise after the government announces the subsidy rate.

The electricity board had even proposed an increase of fixed electricity charges from Rs 20/KW to Rs 100/KW and from existing Rs 40/KW to Rs 200. However, BERC decided to not increase the fixed charges.

Energy department principal secretary and Bihar State Power Holding Company Ltd chairman-cum- managing director Pratyaya Amrit said: "We have not yet received the BERC order officially. The government will review the order and will take decision to announce subsidy for power consumers."

BERC sources said that the power tariff has been increased to meet the additional expenses the power distribution company will incur for transmission.

The Bihar State Power Transmission Company Limited will spend Rs 1,154 crore for power transmission and distribution, which is Rs 531 crore more than the last fiscal.