Power Minister Sudin Dhavlikar on Thursday defended the recent electricity tariff hike, calling it “reasonable” and stressing that Goans still pay lower rates compared to most other States.
Tariff hike and solar alternative
Dhavlikar explained that tariff revisions are not in the State government’s control but are fixed under Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) guidelines framed by the Union Ministry. “When the State invests Rs 5,000–6,000 crore in power infrastructure, recovery through tariff adjustment is necessary,” he said.
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The increase will be phased. Consumers using more than 400 units will see a 4 per cent hike, while households consuming below 400 units—mostly middle-class families—will face only a 2 per cent rise.
Offering a sustainable option, the minister urged citizens to adopt rooftop solar energy through the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, valid till 2026. A 3 kVA solar unit costs around Rs 1.55 lakh, with Rs 77,000 subsidy from the Centre and Rs 60,000 from the State, leaving homeowners to pay only about Rs 20,000. “After that, households can enjoy free power for life,” Dhavlikar said, encouraging rural residents in particular to apply.
He also underlined the environmental impact, pointing out that nearly 72 per cent of Goa’s electricity is sourced from coal-based thermal plants. “We must switch to clean solar power,” he said, adding that Goa’s electricity rates remain among the lowest in India: Rs 2.20 for the first 100 units compared to Rs 5 elsewhere, and Rs 5.60 per unit for above 400 units compared to Rs 9 in other States.
