Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has directed that domestic household consumers will not face electricity disconnection due to unpaid bills during the summer of 2026 until the onset of the monsoon.
Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, who also holds the Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy portfolios, issued the directive to ensure relief for consumers during the peak summer season.
He also stated that no distribution company will be allowed to impose unscheduled power cuts for non-payment of electricity bills by domestic users. He clarified that any power interruptions will only be permitted for essential repair or maintenance work.
The deputy chief minister further instructed that all scheduled outages must be properly publicised in advance via SMS alerts and public address systems so that consumers are informed.
He urged all departments, agencies, and DISCOMs to sensitise their staff about the directive and ensure strict compliance. He also called for a strong monitoring mechanism to guarantee the effective implementation of the decision.
The additional chief secretary of the energy department has been tasked with supervising the rollout of these measures and submitting a compliance report for review.
