Haryana Industrial ToD Tariff and Smart Meter Rebate FY 2026-27

Direct answer: HERC’s 25 March 2026 decision kept Haryana electricity tariffs unchanged for FY 2026-27, effective 1 April 2026. The Commission found the existing Time-of-Day tariff design ineffective and directed the DISCOMs to submit a fresh, detailed proposal. It did not publish a new industrial ToD schedule in that announcement. Consumers using eligible prepaid smart meters were reported as entitled to a 5% rebate on energy and fixed charges, subject to the tariff order, metering regulations and billing eligibility.

Key Takeaways

• HERC’s FY 2026-27 tariff decision was signed on 25 March 2026 and took effect on 1 April 2026.
• Retail tariffs were kept unchanged, but businesses should still use the FY 2026-27 order and schedule for billing.
• HERC called the existing ToD design ineffective and required DISCOMs to return with a fresh proposal.
• No revised ToD time blocks or rates should be invented or inferred from that direction.
• The reported prepaid smart-meter rebate is 5% on energy charges and fixed charges for eligible consumers.
• “Smart meter” and “prepaid smart meter” are not interchangeable for rebate purposes.
• Industrial energy strategy should use current approved billing rules and scenario-test any future ToD revision.

What did HERC decide for FY 2026-27?

HERC’s press release says tariffs were unchanged for FY 2026-27 from 1 April 2026. “Unchanged” means approved rates were carried forward; businesses must still follow the new order, applicability clauses and billing directions.

Retain the signed order for the facility’s DISCOM, category and voltage. Haryana has two distribution licensees, UHBVN and DHBVN. A bill dispute or model should identify the supplier and exact schedule.

The order date is also important for audit trails. Label calculations “FY 2026-27, effective 1 April 2026, based on HERC final order dated 25 March 2026” and record later amendments checked.

Did HERC introduce a new industrial ToD tariff?

No new ToD schedule should be attributed to the 25 March announcement. HERC stated that the existing ToD tariff was ineffective and directed the DISCOMs to submit a fresh and detailed proposal. That is a direction for future regulatory work, not a set of approved replacement time slots, multipliers or rebates.

Historic Haryana ToD designs and prior off-peak concessions may be useful context, but they are not a substitute for the operative FY 2026-27 schedule. A proposal issued by UHBVN or DHBVN would also remain a proposal until approved by HERC through the appropriate process.

For a general explanation of demand matching and storage, see the solar and BESS business-case guide.

What is the 5% prepaid smart-meter rebate?

HERC’s press release states that consumers using prepaid smart meters will be entitled to a 5% rebate on both energy charges and fixed charges. The ordinary reading requires both features: the meter must be a smart meter and the account must use prepaid service. A postpaid smart meter should not be assumed eligible merely because it can communicate remotely.

The rebate base matters. Energy charges and fixed charges are named; taxes, electricity duty, fuel surcharge, late-payment surcharge, meter rent or other items should not be included unless the tariff order expressly says so. Ask the DISCOM to show the rebate as a distinct bill line and explain its calculation.

The HERC Prepaid Smart Metering Regulations, 2022 provide the broader regulatory context. The final FY 2026-27 order and any DISCOM implementation circular control practical billing.

How much could the rebate be worth?

Consider a purely illustrative monthly bill with ₹10,00,000 of energy charges and ₹2,00,000 of fixed charges. If the account is eligible and both items receive 5%, the calculation is:

Do not apply 5% to the total payable bill. In this example, duty, taxes, surcharge and penalties are excluded. Actual savings also depend on whether recharge timing, minimum balance, arrears or transition conditions affect eligibility.

Finance teams should reconcile the first three prepaid cycles. If the rebate is missing, raise a written query promptly with the tariff clause, meter record and account statement.

What should an industrial consumer do about ToD uncertainty?

Optimize against the approved tariff, but avoid investments dependent on an unapproved schedule. Collect 15-minute data for production, HVAC, compressed air, refrigeration, pumps, charging and non-critical processes.

Classify loads as fixed, shiftable, interruptible or storage-compatible. Estimate labour, yield, maintenance and production costs of moving each process. Savings that increase scrap or overtime are not savings.

Then build scenarios rather than a single forecast:

These scenarios are analytical only and must not be presented as HERC rates.

How do solar and BESS interact with ToD?

Rooftop or captive solar reduces daytime grid drawal when generation overlaps facility demand. Its value depends on the retail energy displaced, open access settlement and retained demand charges. A new ToD design could increase or reduce that value depending on time blocks, but no such design should be presumed today.

BESS can shift energy and manage demand peaks, but its business case needs spread, efficiency, degradation, cycle limits, demand-charge rules and control strategy. Do not calculate arbitrage revenue using an imaginary peak rate. Model current benefits separately from optional future upside.

The DG versus BESS guide helps distinguish backup value from tariff arbitrage. For project economics, use the solar IRR calculation methodology.

How should companies verify later ToD developments?

Check HERC’s Current Year Orders and Category Wise Orders pages for tariff orders, review orders and interim directions issued after 25 March 2026. Search DISCOM filings for the fresh ToD proposal, but label it proposal until HERC approves it. Review public notices and stakeholder comments where relevant.

When a final order appears, capture its issue date, effective date, eligible categories, voltage, time blocks, seasonal provisions, energy-rate multipliers, demand treatment and metering requirements. Determine whether it replaces or supplements the tariff schedule.

Update control systems only after billing treatment is clear. Compare meter timestamps, time synchronization and DISCOM interval data. A ToD strategy cannot be audited if plant and utility clocks disagree.

FAQ

When did Haryana’s FY 2026-27 tariff take effect?

The decision took effect on 1 April 2026, following HERC’s final order and announcement dated 25 March 2026.

Were industrial electricity tariffs increased?

HERC announced that power tariffs were kept unchanged for FY 2026-27. Verify the exact industrial category schedule on the bill.

What are the new ToD peak and off-peak hours?

The announcement did not approve a new schedule. HERC directed the DISCOMs to file a fresh proposal after finding the existing design ineffective.

Is every smart-meter consumer entitled to 5%?

Do not assume so. The reported benefit is for consumers using prepaid smart meters, subject to the order and implementation eligibility.

Does the 5% rebate apply to electricity duty?

The announcement identifies energy and fixed charges. Do not extend the rebate to duty, tax or other items without an express clause.

Can a factory invest in BESS based on expected ToD reform?

It can scenario-test future upside, but the investment case should stand on approved rates and operational value unless a final HERC schedule exists.

Where should later ToD orders be checked?

Use HERC’s Current Year Orders and Category Wise Orders pages, then verify the relevant DISCOM filing and final approval.

Sources

• HERC press release dated 25 March 2026
• HERC Current Year Orders
• HERC Category Wise Orders
• HERC regulations, including Prepaid Smart Metering Regulations