The Yogi government has taken a tough stand on consumer grievances linked to smart prepaid meters. In a major development, the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has imposed a penalty of ₹7.18 lakh on Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) for failing to restore electricity supply within the prescribed time after meter recharge.
A small group at the UP Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC), made up of Chairman Arvind Kumar and Member Sanjay Kumar Singh, ordered UPPCL to pay a penalty within 15 days. They also asked for a detailed report from the Managing Director of the company.
This came about because many consumers complained in March and April 2026 when electricity companies switched a lot of smart meters from postpaid to prepaid. As a result, many people’s balances went negative, and their electricity was cut off.
While some consumers quickly added money to their meters, many others had to wait several days before their power was restored. This situation led to public protests and raised worries about how well the smart meter system is working.
Commission Finds Serious Service Deficiencies
The matter reached UPERC after the Consumer Council filed a petition alleging violations of the UPERC Standard of Performance Regulations, 2019.
During the hearing, the Commission observed that electricity companies failed to meet the service standards prescribed for smart prepaid meters. Under the regulations, the power supply should resume within two hours of recharge. However, many consumers did not receive electricity within the stipulated period.
The Commission noted that the delay reflected serious shortcomings in consumer service delivery and technical management.
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Penalty under the Electricity Act
Invoking Sections 142 and 57 of the Electricity Act, 2003, the Commission imposed a penalty of ₹1 lakh for the violation, along with ₹6,000 per day for continued non-compliance, taking the total fine to ₹7.18 lakh.
The Commission also stressed the need for a detailed root-cause analysis to identify technical failures and prevent similar incidents in the future.
More Than 40 Lakh Consumers Affected
Data presented before the Commission showed that between March 13 and April 10, electricity companies disconnected power supply to 40,27,307 consumers.
Among those affected, power came back within 30 minutes for 1,878,385 people. Another 2,221,036 people got electricity within two hours. However, 193,143 people still faced delays longer than expected, with some waiting several days even after they recharged their meters.
The Commission noted that smart prepaid meters should restore power right away after a recharge. Delays longer than two hours showed that the power companies did not find and fix technical problems quickly enough.
Government Signals Zero Tolerance for Consumer Negligence
The latest action reflects the Yogi government’s emphasis on accountability and consumer-centric governance. By allowing regulatory scrutiny and enforcing penalties for service lapses, the government has sent a clear message that utilities must adhere to prescribed standards and protect consumer interests.
UPERC has directed the power corporation to identify the technical shortcomings, fix them at the earliest, and ensure that consumers do not face similar hardships in the future.
