PANAJI
Power Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar has blamed high electricity bills on consumers using more electricity than their sanctioned load allows. He said penalties are now being imposed on households and businesses that exceed their approved power limit.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Dhavalikar urged consumers to apply for a load enhancement if their electricity usage has increased. “People add new appliances without updating their sanctioned capacity. This leads to penalties and higher bills,” he said.
The minister said the electricity department has started strictly enforcing the rules. Consumers drawing power beyond their sanctioned limit are being fined, with the penalties automatically added to their monthly bills. He said applying for a load enhancement would help consumers avoid penalties and ensure transparent billing.
Meanwhile, Dhavalikar announced that Goa’s smart meter installation drive has crossed the one-lakh mark. The project aims to cover around 7.5 lakh consumers across all categories. He said smart meters would help monitor electricity consumption more accurately and reduce billing disputes. However, consumers continue to raise concerns over rising electricity bills and the mandatory installation of smart meters.
Peak demand nears 1,000 MW
Goa’s peak power demand has reached a record high of 995 MW, surpassing last year’s highest demand, according to Chief Electrical Engineer Stephen Fernandes.
The rise in power consumption comes amid soaring temperatures, leading to higher use of cooling appliances during summer.
Goa’s peak demand was 718 MW in 2022-23, which increased to 776 MW in 2023-24. Last year, it stood at 810 MW.
