The 5-Month Penalty Trap Electricity Users Have Been Stuck With — Now Being Reconsidered

The Power Division is considering a proposal to charge consumers the higher rate only in the specific month they cross 200 units, rather than the current formula, which strips protected status for five subsequent months even if consumption drops back below the threshold.

Why This Matters for Households

Under the existing rule, a single month's overuse can lock a household into higher rates for half a year, regardless of how much electricity it actually consumes afterward. Linking the higher rate directly to the month of the breach would remove this lingering penalty.

Already Backed in Parliament

The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Power Division has already endorsed removing the six-month subsidy limit for consumers using up to 200 units — adding institutional weight to the Power Division's ongoing review.

One Related Issue Still Stuck

Separately, the government's proposal for discounted electricity rates for Bitcoin mining remains unresolved, with sources saying the IMF has not yet been convinced; the matter will be raised again in upcoming negotiations.

The Bottom Line

If this change goes through, households that occasionally exceed 200 units in a single month would no longer face months of higher bills as a result — a targeted fix aimed squarely at removing an unintended penalty built into the current tariff structure.