Odisha nears Rs 7,000 crore in pending electricity dues; household consumers major defaulters

Odisha’s outstanding electricity bill arrears have climbed to nearly 7,000 crore, with the government placing the largest share of unpaid dues on domestic consumers.

The figures were presented by Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo in the State Assembly on Wednesday while responding to a question from Congress MLA Ram Chandra Kadam.

In his written reply, the Deputy CM informed that a total of Rs 6,956.93 crore in electricity bills remains unpaid in the state. Out of this sum, general consumers account for Rs 6,558 crore of the pending dues, while industrial and commercial consumers owe Rs 398.93 crore, he said.

Deputy CM Breaks Down Arrears

According to the figures submitted by the Deputy Chief Minister, household consumers constitute the overwhelming majority of default cases in the billing system, contributing more than 94% of the total outstanding amount.

Industrial and commercial establishments form a significantly smaller segment but still account for nearly Rs 400 crore in arrears.

The Dy CM added that the state’s distribution companies have been taking steps to recover dues but continue to face delays, especially in regions where legacy arrears from previous cycles remain unresolved.

Assembly Debates Alleged Excess Billing by Tata Power

The disclosure came a day after a separate but related power sector issue over allegations of excess billing by Tata Power dominated proceedings in the House during Zero Hour.

On Tuesday, the Assembly saw sharp interventions from multiple legislators who accused Tata Power of collecting electricity charges far beyond the tariff approved by the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC).

Raising the issue, senior legislators Ganeswar Behera and Byomkesh Ray claimed that Tata Power had collected Rs 7,145 crore in excess over the past eight years. They cited provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, to argue that such excess amounts are legally refundable to consumers.

The MLAs told the House that regulatory commissions across the country routinely enforce refunds when distribution companies overcharge. They pointed to an example from Andhra Pradesh, where authorities ordered discoms to return excess collections with interest, distributed over 12 instalments.

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They argued that no such directive has been issued by the OERC in Odisha so far, resulting in lakhs of consumers being denied the relief they are entitled to. The legislators urged the regulatory commission to intervene and ensure a refund of the alleged excess amount.

The government has not yet commented on the allegations raised during Zero Hour, but officials indicated that formal communications to the OERC may be considered once the House seeks a detailed response from the commission.