Punjab Electricity Regulator announces New Tariff for 2026–27, Power rates reduced across categories
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, March 6, 2026: The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) has issued its tariff orders for the financial year 2026–27 for power utilities Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL), announcing a reduction in electricity tariffs for several consumer categories across Punjab.
The tariff order was issued on March 6 by the Commission chaired by Viswajeet Khanna, with members Ravinder Singh Saini (Technical) and Ravi Kumar (Legal). The revised tariff structure will come into effect from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027
Relief of Rs 7,851 crore to consumers
The Commission stated that the new tariff schedule has been designed to pass on operational efficiency gains to consumers, resulting in an overall relief of ₹7,851.91 crore. The move aims to balance consumer affordability while ensuring the financial stability of the state power utilities.
Despite PSPCL projecting a revenue deficit of ₹453 crore, the Commission’s assessment found a surplus of ₹7,851.91 crore from the true-up of FY 2024–25 and projections for FY 2026–27. The total revenue requirement for FY 2026–27 has been determined at ₹48,996.28 crore, with ₹44,939.50 crore to be recovered through tariffs after adjusting the surplus.
Lower cost of power supply
The Average Cost of Supply (ACOS) for FY 2026–27 has been estimated at ₹6.15 per unit, significantly lower than ₹7.15 per unit in FY 2025–26, reflecting improved efficiency and financial discipline in the power sector.
Under the new tariff order:
- Domestic electricity charges reduced: Energy charges for households up to 300 units have been reduced significantly across load categories.
- Commercial tariffs lowered: Energy charges for non-residential consumers have been reduced across slabs.
- EV charging cheaper: Tariff for electric vehicle charging stations has been reduced to ₹5.00/kVAh, among the lowest in the country to encourage EV adoption.
- Industrial sector relief: Energy charges for small, medium and large industries have been reduced, with lower fixed charges in several categories.
- Small business boost: The Small Power category limit has been increased from 20 kW to 50 kW, easing load enhancement for small enterprises.
- Green energy push: Green energy tariff has been reduced from ₹0.39/kWh to ₹0.15/kWh, encouraging industries to adopt renewable power.
- Night tariff continues: Industries using electricity between 10 PM and 6 AM will continue to get 50% reduction in fixed charges and an energy charge of ₹5.50/kVAh.
The Commission has also decided that:
- Lawyers’ chambers registered with the Bar Council of Punjab & Haryana in court complexes will be billed under the domestic supply category.
- Registered Bed & Breakfast and homestay units using electricity for residential purposes will also be covered under domestic tariffs.
- A voltage rebate for consumers receiving supply at 400 kV has been increased to 40 paise per unit to promote efficient transmission.
- The Commission also highlighted that it was ranked India’s top-performing state power regulator in 2025 by the Power Foundation of India, in collaboration with REC Limited, under the aegis of the Ministry of Power, for transparency and financial discipline.
Click the link to read Tariff Comparison: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pMEGlN3Z0WC6jtMqt_aKSzsf6V8KVD0X/view?usp=sharing
Also Read: Punjab cuts power tariffs for domestic, commercial consumers; Special relief for EV charging and industry; Watch Video