Strongly opposing the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd’s (MSEDCL) review petition at a public hearing held here in the city on Tuesday, R B Goenka, Chairman, Energy Forum of Vidarbha Industries Association, urged the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), reject it and avoid endless litigation. “We have already submitted that this review petition does not fit in the legal framework of the review petition. Further, it has been confirmed by the High Court in para 25 of its order,” he said.

 

The High Court had quashed the tariff order in 2025 and stayed its implementation for four weeks which expired on December 3, 2024. The court said that thereafter the tariff issued by the commission in case no. 217 of 2024 shall be applied. The Supreme Court also upheld the order of the High Court and said that para 48 shall be applicable till order of MERC in review petition is issued. The Supreme Court provided 12 weeks time to MERC to issue a new order which has expired in 84 days (i.e. expired on February 9, 2026. But MERC did not issue any order till February 9, 2026. Thus MERC has also violated the order of the Supreme Court. Goenka said that it is not clear whether the new order will be applicable retrospectively from July 1 2025. “MSEDCL should have issued power bills as per order in case No. 217 of 2024 after December 3, 2025. But it was not done. It is a violation of the order of the Supreme Court,” he said. In addition, the industry experts are accusing MSEDCL of profiting from ‘free power’ at the expense of renewable energy users. Under the current rules, excess electricity generated by private consumers is being wiped off their books due to restrictive timing slots. However, instead of the power being wasted, MSEDCL is allegedly selling this ‘lapsed’ energy to the public without compensating the original producers or reflecting the sales in their official accounts. 

 

 

The Nagpur Residential Hotels Association (NRHA) submitted a detailed written representation before the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) during its online proceedings held in the city on Tuesday. Although the association was not granted an opportunity to make oral submissions, its written representation was accepted and taken on record by the commission. In its submission, President Tejinder Singh Renu NRHA raised key concerns impacting the hotel and hospitality sector, particularly relating to electricity tariff classification and utilisation of rooftop solar power. The association reiterated that hotels in Maharashtra were granted Industrial Status by the Government of Maharashtra through Government Resolutions issued in December 2020 and August 2021. Eligible hotels, upon due certification by the Directorate of Tourism, are granted Industrial Status therefore are entitled to industrial electricity tariff. However, hotels continue to be billed under commercial tariff, resulting in significant operational stress. NRHA also highlighted the impractical restrictions imposed on rooftop solar power utilisation, wherein consumption is permitted only between 9 am and 5 pm, despite hotels recording peak electricity demand during night hours. As providers of temporary residential accommodation, hotels require a consumption framework aligned with actual load patterns. The association urged MERC to adopt a pragmatic, policy-consistent approach that supports ease of doing business, renewable energy adoption, and the sustainability of the hospitality sector. NRHA remains confident that the MERC will give due consideration to its submission and arrive at an equitable decision.