Patna, March 16 (IANS) Power would be costlier in Bihar from April 1 as the state's power regulator on Monday announced a 2.5 percent increase in the tariff.

"In a bid to bridge the gap of losses, the commission has increased the energy tariff by 2.5 percent in the state," Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC) chairman U.N. Panjiar told media here.

To ensure it was not a tariff shock to consumers, only a modest increase over existing rates has been allowed, he said.

Panjiar said that the consumers in urban areas would have to pay more than their rural counterparts. "The commission has approved an increase of 15 paise per unit in urban areas and 10 paise in rural areas," he said.

The commission has also admitted the high transmission and distribution (T&D) losses remain a big problem in the state.