No clarity, no choice: Row over prepaid meters in UP deepens amid institutional silence

Insiders note that around 80 lakh prepaid smart meters have already been installed in the state and several lakh more have been procured under the Centre’s RDSS. Rolling back to a parallel system could complicate contracts and financial planning, though prepaid meters help utilities collect charges in advance.

UPPCL managing director Nitish Kumar says detailed Centre guidelines are expected following the revised notification, but for now new connections will be issued with smart prepaid meters only.

UP Rajya Vidhyut Upbhokta Parishad chairman Awadhesh Kumar Verma files a petition before the UPERC urging it to enforce the Centre’s position regarding consumer choice and billing arrangements.

Privately, UPERC officials concede that prepaid meters cannot be forced upon consumers after the Centre’s revised notification and reference Section 47(5) of the Electricity Act, 2003, which allows flexibility in billing. They note the earlier push for mandatory prepaid systems ran contrary to the main law.

UPERC officials maintain silence on the Centre’s revised notification and its impact on prepaid vs post-paid billing; UPERC chairman Arvind Kumar did not respond to media inquiries.

UPPCL has clarified that all new electricity connections will be issued only with prepaid meters, effectively denying consumer choice for fresh applicants.

The Centre's revised gazette notification drops the explicit mandate for prepaid smart meters and states that smart meters will continue to have prepaid functionality, not mandating prepaid meters. CEA director RK Tiwari said prepaid meters are not mandatory and that states can set their own rules, as electricity remains a concurrent subject.