Bengaluru/UNI: People in Karnataka, who consume more than 200 units of electricity, will have to shell out an extra amount of Rs 2.89 per unit this month.

The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) said the extra cost is the fuel and power purchase cost adjustment (FPPCA) and includes arrears from April. FPPCA for this January could not be implemented in March because of billing issues and scarcity of time, it said.

"This same FPPCA of Rs 1.49 per unit will be levied from June. Additionally, there is a 70 paise plus 70 paise hike from January and June due to which total price hike, if one crosses the given 200 units, will be Rs 2.89 per unit," KERC said.

The significant rise in the monthly electricity bills issued by Electricity Supply Companies (Escoms) across Karnataka on Monday left thousands of citizens bewildered.

The fixed charges witnessed a sharp hike ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 75, depending on the consumption load, in the power bills generated by Escoms for June.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah however shifted the blame on KERC for power tariff hike.

"We did not decide to hike the electricity tariff. There is Karnataka electricity regulatory authority, which has decided. It had been decided in the past. We have only implemented it," he clarified.