India, July 6 -- A study by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has found that the prolonged and intense summer this year led to a sharp increase in household electricity consumption across parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), resulting in significantly higher power bills.

According to the study, average monthly electricity consumption in areas such as Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Dombivli, Badlapur and Ambernath increased by 145 to 230 units during May and June, pushing many consumers into higher tariff slabs and, in some cases, nearly doubling their monthly electricity bills.

The findings come amid complaints from consumers who questioned the steep rise in their electricity bills this summer. I...