Kumar Bahukhandi
Representational Image-Photo Credit – Internet
In Short
- Previously, a delay of even one day incurred a charge for the entire month.
- Now, the fee will be charged only for the actual days.
Daily-Based Calculation Replaces Monthly Flat Charge; One-Day Delay No Longer Attracts Full Month’s Surcharge
Raipur: The Chhattisgarh State Power Company has clarified that the recently introduced Late Payment Surcharge (LPS) mechanism is designed to provide financial relief to electricity consumers and not impose additional burdens, dismissing reports circulating on social media and in some sections of the media as misleading.
According to the power utility, claims suggesting that consumers will face a “double blow” or “daily interest charges” under the revised system are factually incorrect. The new framework, introduced in accordance with regulations issued by the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC), ensures a more transparent and consumer-friendly method of calculating delayed payment charges.
Previous System Penalised Even Minor Delays
Officials explained that under the earlier billing system, consumers who missed the due date by even a single day were required to pay a flat late payment surcharge of 1.5 per cent for the entire month. This meant that a delay of just one or two days attracted the same surcharge as a delay of several weeks, making the system disproportionately expensive for consumers.
The company acknowledged that this approach often placed an unnecessary financial burden on households that made only minor delays in bill payments.
New Rule Charges Only for Actual Delay
Under the revised regulations, the surcharge will now be calculated at 0.04 per cent per day, ensuring that consumers pay only for the actual number of days by which their payment is delayed.
For example, if a consumer pays the electricity bill just one day after the due date, the surcharge will be limited to 0.04 per cent, instead of the earlier 1.5 per cent monthly charge.
Even in cases where payment is delayed by a full 30 days, the total surcharge would amount to 1.2 per cent (0.04 per cent × 30 days), which is still lower than the previous flat monthly surcharge of 1.5 per cent.
Transparent and Consumer-Friendly Reform
The power company said the revised system reflects the principle of fairness by linking the surcharge directly to the duration of the payment delay rather than imposing a blanket monthly charge.
Officials believe the new mechanism will encourage timely payments while ensuring that consumers are not unfairly penalised for short delays.
Appeal Against Misinformation
The Chhattisgarh State Power Company urged consumers and media organisations to rely only on official information regarding electricity billing reforms.
The utility stressed that the revised Late Payment Surcharge has reduced, not increased, the financial liability for consumers. Describing the new rules as a daily-interest burden or an additional financial shock is inaccurate and has created unnecessary confusion.
The company appealed to the public to verify information through official channels and help spread accurate awareness so that consumers can fully understand the benefits of the revised billing system.
The updated surcharge framework is expected to make electricity bill payments more equitable, transparent, and consumer-centric, providing relief to lakhs of electricity consumers across Chhattisgarh while promoting greater confidence in the state’s power distribution system.
The author is Joint Director, Chhattisgarh Public Relations Department
