MSEDCL files review petition, questions arise over stay on MERC’s historic order

Nagpur: The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has finally filed its much-awaited review petition with the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) after challenging the commission's ‘historic' tariff reduction order.
MERC had stayed its own order and given time to MSEDCL to file a review petition. However, the filing of the petition has raised confusion among consumers and power experts about which tariffs would be applicable, and whether the stay by MERC on its new tariff order would be applicable or not.
Chief PRO of MSEDCL Bharat Pawar confirmed that the discom has filed the review petition before the MERC. "In April, the consumers will receive the bills as per the old tariff. MERC will now review the petition and give its order, on the basis of which changes in the tariff would be made, and they would be implemented retrospectively from April 1," said Pawar.
Speaking to TOI, power expert RB Goenka, who was a former director of the MSEB Holding Company, said he and some other associations have challenged MERC's stay as it did not meet the criteria for a review petition of MSEDCL. "After MSEDCL filed its review petition, I filed an intervening petition, which has been accepted by MERC. The commission has announced a hearing of four parties on May 6," said Goenka.
Goenka also added that since MERC had stayed its order until MSEDCL files the review petition, then the stay should be automatically vacated on the reduced tariff order once MSEDCL has filed the review petition.
Earlier this year, MSEDCL filed a multi-year tariff (MYT) petition before MERC for the financial year 2025-26 to 2029-30. On March 28, MERC issued an order significantly reducing the tariffs for all consumers, including residential, industrial, and commercial. The order was hailed by power experts, and residential and industrial consumers of MSEDCL, who were paying the highest tariff compared to other distribution company consumers in Maharashtra and some other states as well. The power experts and others praised MERC for the 'historic' tariff reduction order.
The new tariffs were supposed to be implemented from April 1, but the happiness of the consumers was short-lived as MSEDCL challenged MERC's order. Following this, MERC stayed its own order, which also stayed the implementation of the new tariffs. While granting the stay, MERC stated that the stay would be applicable until MSEDCL filed its review petition. However, it is not clear if the stay has now been vacated as MSEDCL has filed the petition, or if it has been extended.