The Jharkhand State Electricity Regulatory Commission (JSERC) has issued a new notification introducing the first amendment to its existing Fees, Fines, and Charges Regulations. Published in the Jharkhand Gazette, the updated rules—titled JSERC (Fees, Fines & Charges) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2026—signal a notable change in how licensing fees are determined across the state’s power sector.
The amendment has been issued under the provisions of the Electricity Act 2003, specifically Sections 181 and 50, which empower the Commission to frame and revise regulations. These revised rules apply throughout Jharkhand and came into effect immediately upon their publication in the official gazette.
At the core of this amendment is a modification to the “Principal Regulations” that were originally introduced in 2024. The key change relates to the schedule of fees applicable to electricity licences. JSERC has replaced Serial No. 1 of the Schedule of Fees, Fines, and Charges, which governs application and annual licence fees under Section 15(1) of the Act, along with provisions for exemptions under Section 13.
Earlier, these fees were defined as fixed amounts within the regulatory framework. However, under the 2026 amendment, the Commission has revised this approach by stating that the fees will now be determined “as prescribed by the State Government.” This effectively shifts the authority to set licensing fee levels from the Commission to the state government, allowing for greater flexibility and policy alignment.
The notification was issued by order of the Commission and signed by R.P. Nayak, Secretary of JSERC. It was published as Extraordinary Gazette No. 139 and printed by the Jharkhand Government Press in Doranda, Ranchi.
The move is expected to help align electricity licensing costs with evolving state policies and economic conditions, while also enabling a more adaptive regulatory framework for Jharkhand’s growing energy sector.
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