Mumbai, 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. In response, the state-owned power utility conducted a study to examine consumption patterns and found that average household electricity usage had increased by at least 30% over the corresponding period last year. "The study conducted in Thane, Kalyan, Badlapur, Ambernath and adjoining areas showed that the average monthly electricity consumption of a one-bedroom household rose from 270 units last year to 415 units this year. As a result the monthly electricity bill nearly doubled from about Rs.2,500 to around Rs.5,000," an MSEDCL official said. The study also found that electricity consumption in two-bedroom households increased from an average of 425 units to around 655 units, resulting in monthly bills rising from approximately Rs.4,500 to around Rs.8,000. The official said MSEDCL compared temperature and electricity consumption data for May 2025 and May 2026 to assess the impact of the heatwave. "While the average maximum temperature in May 2025 was 38.3 degrees Celsius, it rose to around 43 degrees Celsius in May 2026. The extreme heat led to increased use of fans, air-conditioners and other cooling appliances, pushing many consumers beyond their usual consumption slabs of under 300 units per month to higher tariff categories, including above 500 units," the official said....