India, March 31 -- From April 1, electricity consumers across Maharashtra will be entitled to a rebate of 50 paise per unit of electricity consumed during 'solar hours', from 9am to 5pm. The rebate, notified by Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for a period of five years, can be availed only by those who have smart metres installed in their homes, said sources. Residential consumers in Mumbai, who are mostly out working during solar hours, will benefit little from the discount, said power experts.

MERC, a quasi-judicial body, recently notified a roster of tariffs and discounts based on time of day (ToD) slabs instead of 'normal hours' and 'off-peak hours' slabs, as per provisions in the Electricity (Right of Consumers)...