Billing Mistakes, Complaints and Official Sources
Official sources for electricity tariffs and cooking gas prices in India
Where to find your SERC tariff order, DISCOM surcharge rates, subsidy notices, LPG prices, PMUY rules, PNG tariffs and complaint forums, and how to read them.
The authoritative source for your electricity rate is your State Electricity Regulatory Commission's latest tariff order and any later review or amendment order; the source for the monthly fuel surcharge is your DISCOM's published rate and any SERC order allowing more than the automatic ceiling; and the source for a subsidy is the state government's notification as implemented by your DISCOM. For LPG, the price is published by the oil marketing companies city by city, and PMUY rules come from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. For PNG, your city gas distribution company publishes the tariff and PNGRB sets service standards. This page lists those bodies and how to use their documents without getting lost.
Part of how to complain to the CGRF and Electricity Ombudsman.
Electricity: national bodies
| Body | What to find there |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Power | Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020 and amendments; RDSS; Electricity (Amendment) Rules |
| Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) | Central regulation, links to SERCs, Forum of Regulators |
| Central Electricity Authority (CEA) | Metering regulations; annual reports on tariffs across states |
| Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) | Appeals against SERC orders |
| e-Gazette of India | Notified text of central rules |
| India Code | Text of the Electricity Act, 2003 |
Electricity: the four states in our examples
| State | SERC | Main DISCOMs | What we used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi | DERC | BRPL, BYPL, Tata Power-DDL, NDMC | Domestic schedule (FY 2020-21, continued in FY 2021-22 order); PPAC/FPPAS order of 10 August 2026 (as reported) |
| Tamil Nadu | TNERC | TNPDCL | Suo-motu Order No. 6 of 2025 dated 30 June 2025 |
| Maharashtra | MERC | MSEDCL; in Mumbai also BEST, Adani Electricity, Tata Power | MYT order 28 March 2025 (Case No. 217 of 2024); review petition Case No. 75 of 2025 |
| Karnataka | KERC | BESCOM, MESCOM, HESCOM, GESCOM, CESC | Gruha Jyothi scheme; KERC order not opened by us |
Some SERC and DISCOM websites block automated access or are slow; if one does not open, try the DISCOM's tariff page or the state energy department.
How to read a tariff order quickly
Tariff orders run to hundreds of pages. You need only a few parts:
- Cover page: order number, date and effective date.
- Tariff schedule (usually near the end or in an annexure): rates by category and slab.
- Applicability of the domestic category: who counts as domestic.
- General conditions: billing period, pro-rating of slabs, minimum charges, rebates, late payment surcharge.
- Fuel surcharge mechanism: formula and ceiling.
- Later orders: review orders, corrigenda and the next year's revision.
TNERC's Order No. 6 of 2025, for example, gives the domestic slabs in section 2.3 and section 3.2.2, says the domestic tariff is to be partly subsidised by the government, and says the next CPI-linked revision takes effect from 1 July 2026. Always check whether a later order has replaced the one you are reading.
State subsidy notices
Free-power and subsidy schemes are announced by the state government and implemented by DISCOMs. Look for:
- the state energy or power department website;
- the DISCOM's "subsidy" or "scheme" page;
- for Karnataka, the Seva Sindhu portal for Gruha Jyothi registration.
See free electricity schemes for how they work.
Complaint forums
| Forum | Where to find details |
|---|---|
| DISCOM call centre and 1912 | Bill and DISCOM website |
| Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum | SERC regulations and DISCOM website |
| Electricity Ombudsman | SERC website |
| National Consumer Helpline (1915) | consumerhelpline.gov.in |
| CPGRAMS | pgportal.gov.in for grievances against government bodies |
Route and documents are in the CGRF and Ombudsman guide.
Cooking gas sources
| Body | What to find there |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas | LPG policy, PMUY, Ujjwala 2.0, targeted subsidy |
| PMUY portal | Eligibility and application |
| Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum | City-wise LPG prices, booking, grievance portals |
| Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) | Official price and consumption data, state-wise PMUY data |
| PNGRB | City gas distribution authorisations, service standards, complaints |
| Your CGD company (e.g. IGL, MGL) | PNG tariff per SCM, deposits, billing |
How to check a figure you read on this site
Every tariff figure we quote names its order and date. To check it:
- Open the SERC or DISCOM site and find the order by number and date.
- Go to the tariff schedule and find the domestic category.
- Check whether a newer order or revision has been issued since.
- For surcharges, check the DISCOM's published rate for the billing month.
If you find that a figure has changed, the method in electricity bill calculation worked examples still works with the new rates. For Tamil Nadu, the electricity bill calculator applies the TNERC slabs for you.
Signs a source is not official
| Warning sign | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| No order number or date for a tariff | You cannot verify it |
| "Latest rates" with no effective date | May be years old |
| A calculator that applies one rate to all units | Ignores telescopic slabs |
| Claims that a scheme gives "free electricity to everyone" | Schemes have conditions and thresholds |
| Sites asking for your consumer number and OTP to "claim subsidy" | Possible fraud; register only on government portals |
Scam messages claiming your power will be cut "tonight" unless you call a number or install an app are common. DISCOMs do not ask you to install remote-access apps. Check the message with the DISCOM's official number on your bill, and see faulty meter and testing and why electricity bills suddenly go up for genuine billing issues.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I find my state's tariff order for this year?
Some SERCs issue orders late, some use multi-year orders with annual revisions, and some (like DERC recently) continue an older schedule. The latest order in force applies until replaced.
Is the Central Electricity Authority's tariff report enough?
It is a useful national compilation, but for your bill always check your SERC's order, which is the legal source.
Where do I find LPG prices for my city?
On the oil company websites or the cash memo of your latest refill. Prices are revised by the companies and differ slightly by city.
Sources and where to check
- Ministry of Power — central rules and schemes
- Central Electricity Regulatory Commission — links to all SERCs
- Appellate Tribunal for Electricity — appeals
- Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas — LPG and PMUY
- Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board — PNG regulation
- e-Gazette of India — notified rules
