A Noida-based journalist was in the course of an necessary Zoom assembly when the lights went out. The Wi-Fi snapped and his laptop computer display froze. He switched to cellular knowledge, however when energy wasn’t restored even after an hour, alarm bells rang. A name to society administration revealed the twist. “My electrical energy meter had been quietly switched from postpaid to pre-paid, and my steadiness had slipped into the detrimental. So, the availability had been lower,” stated the journalist.

“I should have missed that one electronic mail,” he stated, including that his society’s WhatsApp group was flooded with comparable complaints. Meters had been modified from post-paid to pre-paid “bina pooche (with out being requested)”.

This comes at the same time as Union Energy Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on April 3 clarified that pre-paid sensible meters weren’t obligatory for all customers. But, the journalist confronted an ordeal. And the ordeal is only one glimpse into the rising unease round Uttar Pradesh‘s pre-paid sensible push.

Throughout districts in Uttar Pradesh, customers are flagging a spread of points. Aside from alleged set up with out consent, there have been complaints of sudden spikes in electrical energy payments, energy cuts regardless of constructive steadiness on the app, and frequent technical glitches within the new pre-paid meter system.

In Uttar Pradesh’s Jalaun, villagers dumped their sensible meters onto the streets and staged a street blockade, alleging that their electrical energy payments had shot up after the pre-paid meters had been put in, reported Aaj Tak, India At this time Digital’s sister portal. In Aligarh, the anger spilt over as a gaggle of ladies surrounded an influence division official and chased him away.

It is the experiences of those very issues confronted by clients which have turned the pre-paid sensible meter rollout in Uttar Pradesh right into a coverage that’s producing extra warmth than mild. The controversy comes at the same time as the north is bracing for a harsh summer with the mercury inching up with each passing day.

Being attentive to the mounting complaints towards discoms for allegedly forcing customers to modify to pre-paid sensible meters, the Uttar Pradesh Electrical energy Regulatory Fee (UPERC) has stepped in. The regulator on Sunday directed the state’s mum or dad DISCOM, Uttar Pradesh Energy Company Restricted (UPPCL), to submit an in depth report inside 10 days.

The Uttar Pradesh authorities on Sunday stated that electricity would not be disrupted for three days even after smart meters, that are quickly to be put in, run out of steadiness.

WHY UP GOVT WAS PUSHING FOR PRE-PAID SMART METERS?

Uttar Pradesh has been aggressively rolling out pre-paid sensible meters as a part of the nationwide Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), which is aimed toward modernising energy distribution, curbing industrial losses and enhancing income restoration.

The UPPCL and its discoms focused the alternative of practically 3.5 crore typical meters with sensible pre-paid variations. Round 78 lakh sensible pre-paid meters had already been put in in Uttar Pradesh by mid-April. Over 70 lakh of them are working in pre-paid mode, in response to a report in The Occasions of India.

Officers have lengthy pitched the transfer as a win-win. The set up of the pre-paid sensible meters would permit real-time consumption monitoring by means of the UPPCL Sensible App, and the elimination of billing disputes. It could additionally cut back theft, AT&C losses (traditionally excessive within the state), and no safety deposit could be required for customers choosing pre-paid connections.

New connections had been mandated in pre-paid mode from September 2025 underneath UPPCL orders, and present postpaid meters are being changed. The system promised SMS alerts for low steadiness and simpler recharges, reported the Hindustan Occasions.

Pay as you go electrical energy meters (largely sensible pay as you go ones underneath the RDSS have been put in on a major scale primarily in Bihar, Assam, Gujarat, some components of West Bengal and some smaller states. General, the rolling out of pre-paid sensible meters has reportedly seen success. Bihar, in response to experiences, has fared properly in its installations and theft of energy.

The Bihar State Energy Holding Firm Restricted (BSPHCL) in February stated its AI-driven electrical energy theft detection system in sensible pay as you go vitality meters generated Rs 1.46 crore in extra billing, reported the Hindustan Occasions.

PM Narendra Modi in January praised Assam for the set up of over 50 lakh sensible pay as you go meters, calling it a milestone. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in December 2025 stated that the state saved Rs 33.75 crore in electrical energy bills over the previous 9 months. He attributed the financial savings to the implementation of correct billing, particular person metering, and sensible meters in authorities places of work, Sarma stated on X.

PEOPLE TAKE TO STREETS IN NOIDA, LUCKNOW; WOMEN LEAD PROTESTS DEMANDING RETURN TO POSTPAID METERS

Nevertheless, the rollout of the pre-paid sensible meters ignited widespread discontent.

Customers throughout districts — Lucknow, Jalaun, Kanpur and Aligarh — have reported meters being swapped with out permission, typically throughout routine checks, which they stated was violating the spirit of client alternative.

In Noida societies and Lucknow’s Indira Nagar Laulai space, residents protested en masse, with ladies, aged and youngsters blocking substations and demanding restoration of previous postpaid meters. Native councillor Mamta Rawat, who was current at one among these demonstrations, stated that the residents “don’t need pre-paid meters”, The Occasions of India reported.

“My sensible meter was functioning correctly and funds had been being made on time. Regardless of this, your division forcibly put in a pre-paid meter on February 22. Moreover, we have now not acquired any payments until now. On April 16, at round 1.30 PM, some officers got here however left with out offering correct data. Then again, I do know that grievance is not going to be resolved. Subsequently, I’m informing you. Kindly do the needful and be certain that billing is finished based mostly on my earlier sensible meter,” Samrat Gupta, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Rasra city in Balia district, posted on X.

In Jalaun’s Madhogarh city, protests turned unstable. Tons of of villagers, led by ladies, gathered at Chitaura energy station, alleging payments had skyrocketed to Rs 5,000 or extra regardless of erratic provide. Residents uprooted meters, blocked roads and clashed with officers. The police booked over 70 folks, together with 18 named suspects, reported Aaj Tak.

Related scenes unfolded in Aligarh, the place ladies surrounded and chased away the facility division’s Superintendent Engineer, accusing the brand new meters of defective readings and monetary exploitation, reported UP Tak, India At this time Digital’s sister portal.

APPS NOT WORKING, DATA NOT UPDATING. USERS SAY UPPCL SMART APP FAILS TO TRACK CONSUMPTION, BALANCE

A number of experiences and complaints of sudden invoice spikes after the set up of pre-paid sensible meters have been reported too.

Lucknow-based author-activist Pooja Francis, calling the brand new sensible meters “Loot meters”, highlighted on X a case from Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura.

“Many ladies reported that their electrical energy payments have considerably elevated after the sensible meters had been put in… One protester talked about that whereas her invoice was round Rs 700- Rs 800 month-to-month, it has now jumped to Rs 7,000- Rs 8,000, which is unaffordable,” Francis posted on X, sharing a floor report from an area YouTube channel, Samachar24.

There have additionally been complaints about glitches and issues with the app, which is designed to present real-time info on vitality utilization and steadiness recharge.

“The UPPCL sensible app is neither refreshing knowledge nor displaying the most recent knowledge. I’m unable to watch my consumption and remaining steadiness,” Aligarh-based Shailesh Pratap Singh posted on X.

“The UPPCL SMART app shouldn’t be working. I’m a consumer of a wise pre-paid meter in Gorakhpur. My account quantity is 7xx5xx5xx and cellular no is 7xx7xx9xxx. Please assist,” Ashvini Mishra, an worker of the Baroda Uttar Pradesh Gramin Financial institution, posted on X, tagging the UPPCL.

Folks of Uttar Pradesh have additionally complained about automated disconnections even with constructive balances or minor detrimental invoice dues.

Tagging the UPPCL on X, Arvind Kimar alleged he confronted a “huge rip-off”, including the UPPCL’s service was “very poor”.

“My March invoice was Rs 3949. I paid Rs 4249 (Rs 251 additional). But my connection was disconnected, displaying a detrimental steadiness of Rs 2349. I used to be compelled to pay one other Rs 2400 to revive it,” Kumar posted on X, together with 4 screenshots.

An individual named Azad stated that his electrical energy connection was “disconnected [while] the invoice was paid”.

“Please verify and resolve the problem on precedence. Provide shouldn’t be related, however in UPPCL SMART APP, it reveals that electrical energy is getting used. Please resolve,” Azad posted on X, sharing screenshots of affirmation SMS of his recharge.

WHAT GOVT SAID ON PRE-PAID SMART METER PROBLEMS IN UTTAR PRADESH

Authorities initially defended the rollout of the pre-paid meters however have confronted mounting strain since folks took to the streets and flagged the issues they confronted.

On April 3, Union Energy Minister Manohar Lal Khattar advised the Lok Sabha in a written reply to MPs Chandra Shekhar and Hanuman Beniwal that pre-paid sensible meters had been “optionally available and based mostly on client alternative”.

Khattar harassed that present customers can’t be compelled. The availability solely obligates licensees to supply pre-paid meters on request, with out safety deposit, and incentivises adoption fairly than enforcement.

Later, amid mounting strain, the UPERC on April 17 wrote to the UPPCL, demanding an in depth report inside 10 days on compliance with the Act and CEA pointers.

Days later, on April 19, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh authorities hit the pause button. Vitality and City Growth Minister AK Sharma, after a high-level assessment, introduced that replacement of existing meters, whether forced or voluntary, stood suspended with speedy impact till a four-member technical committee (constituted April 12 underneath CM instructions) submits its report on accuracy, billing and grievances.

UPPCL Chairman Ashish Goyal issued formal orders to all discoms late Saturday. New connections will nonetheless obtain sensible pre-paid meters to keep away from service disruptions.

To ease speedy ache, Sharma unveiled consumer-friendly aid. In areas with put in sensible meters, a 15-day conversion grace plus 30 days (complete of round 45 days) of uninterrupted provide, no matter steadiness, was introduced.

Even at zero steadiness, energy would proceed for as much as three days or as much as Rs 200 utilization for masses as much as 2 kW. Low-balance SMS alerts have been reportedly bolstered, and the interrupted provide of energy was additionally introduced.

Whereas the pre-paid sensible meters may need been introduced in with the thought of reforms, on the bottom, it gave beginning to resentment and protests. For now, the federal government has hit pause and provided aid. And the larger take a look at lies forward. Fixing the traces and belief, together with the know-how, could be the large activity forward for energy division officers in Uttar Pradesh. Or else, the push for pre-paid sensible meters would proceed to see extra warmth than mild.

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