Power Costs Rise: Himachal Imposes New ₹1 Per Unit Electricity Cess on Commercial Users
Electricity is set to become costlier for many businesses in Himachal Pradesh, as the state government has introduced an additional cess of ₹1 per unit for several commercial consumers. The decision has come into immediate effect following a notification issued by the Energy Department.
The new levy applies to a wide range of establishments, including hotels, private hospitals, petrol pumps, shopping malls, multiplexes, offices and coaching institutes, among others. The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) has been tasked with collecting this cess from the affected categories.
According to the government, the move has been made in the public interest, with the aim of strengthening the state’s power sector. The notification has been issued under Section 3-B of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Duty Act, 2009, giving legal backing to the revised charges.
Interestingly, this is not the first time electricity-related charges have been revised in recent months. Over the past year, the state has already introduced additional levies such as the ‘Milk Cess’ and ‘Environment Cess’, which are being collected through power bills.
As a result of these earlier charges, domestic consumers saw a modest increase of about 10 paise per unit, while other categories faced hikes ranging from a few paise to several rupees per unit, depending on their usage.
Currently, domestic households pay only the Milk Cess, while commercial and other users are already paying both the Milk and Environment cesses. Consumers who receive zero-value electricity bills have been exempted from these additional charges.
The government had also earlier imposed a ₹2 per unit cess on institutions in the banking, finance and insurance sectors in December 2025.
With the latest addition, businesses across the state may feel a further burden on operating costs. However, the government maintains that such steps are necessary to ensure financial sustainability and better infrastructure in the power sector.
