Aizawl: The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for Mizoram and Manipur will hike the power tariff for Mizoram by seven paisa per unit from the existing rate. This will come into effect from April 1.

The average increase of the new tariff for all consumers is Rs 4.67 per unit, which is a 5.9 per cent hike on an average.

In February, power and electricity department of the Mizoram government had sought permission from the commission to hike the power tariff from the existing Rs 4.60 per unit to Rs 4.67.

Following this, the commission conducted a public hearing on February 23 and accordingly decided to hike power tariff by Rs 4.67 per unit for all consumers and the order for new tariff was issued on March 12.

The state government at present spends Rs 7.19 per unit of power, of which consumers pay Rs 4.60 per unit and the government spends Rs 2.58 per unit. During the 2017-2018 fiscal, the state government had spent Rs 98.67 crore on power, according to officials.

The power demand in Mizoram during the 2018-19 fiscal is estimated to be 388.30 million units, from which Rs 181.52 crore revenue is expected to be generated.

With the Rs 27.49 crore revenue received through surplus power sold outside Mizoram, the total revenue expected from power is Rs 209.01 crore. During the current fiscal (2017-18) the total demands of power is estimated to be 371.66 million units, from which Rs 167.70 core revenue is expected.

Altogether Rs 197.59 crore revenue is expected to be received during the current fiscal with an estimated Rs 29.89 crore revenue through selling 150.94 million units of power to outside the state.

The power and electricity department will purchase power at Rs 7.92 per unit from central sector and sell it to the public consumers at a subsidised rate of Rs 4.67 from April 1. The remaining Rs.3.25 per unit will be met by the state government.