Surat : Industries Slam DGVCL for Unjust Power bills

Surat, Gujarat — In a growing wave of unrest, more than 3,400 industrial units with LTMD (Low Tension Maximum Demand) connections in Sachin GIDC, Surat, are facing an unexpected and crippling financial blow due to retrospective Time of Use (TOU)-based electricity charges levied by Dakshin Gujarat Vij Company Limited (DGVCL). The sudden imposition of supplementary bills has triggered widespread protests from industrialists, who are now demanding urgent intervention from Gujarat’s Power Minister Kanubhai Desai.

According to the Sachin Industrial Association, DGVCL has issued supplementary bills to numerous industries for the billing period from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025, charging an additional 45 paise per unit for excess electricity usage. The controversial move came after June 1, 2025, sparking outrage, particularly as many meters reportedly lack the TOU slab reading capability needed to apply such charges.

“This recovery is not just unfair—it is technically impossible,” said Nilesh M. Gami, President of the Sachin Industrial Association. “DGVCL is imposing charges based on TOU readings on meters that do not even have that facility. How can an industrialist be penalized for something that cannot be measured?”

The association also submitted a memorandum to the Executive Engineer at GIDC and later a detailed representation to Power Minister Kanubhai Desai, calling the billing “an irresponsible administrative decision made without proper preparation.”

Secretary Mayur J. Golwala added, “The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) should have ensured that meters and systems were in place before implementing TOU-based pricing. The bills are not only incomplete and inaccurate, but some units have received them while others haven’t, exposing administrative discrimination.”

The textile-focused MSME sector of Surat, which operates 24/7 to meet national and global demand, has been particularly affected. “This is nothing but a back-door tariff hike,” said a local textile unit owner. “We’re already struggling with rising input costs and reduced margins. This move will hit our competitiveness hard.”

The Sachin Industrial Association has demanded:

Immediate suspension of the retrospective TOU-based supplementary bills

Cancellation or modification of GERC’s notification until full TOU infrastructure is in place

Inclusion of industry representatives in any future power tariff decisions

Copies of the memorandum have also been sent to the GERC Chairman, GUVNL Managing Director, DGVCL Chief Engineer, and chambers of commerce in Gujarat and Surat.