U.P. Minister Announces Immediate Discontinuation of Prepaid Smart Meters

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to transition from the smart prepaid electricity meter system to a postpaid model for all consumers, as announced by Energy Minister A.K. Sharma. This shift comes in response to mounting protests concerning alleged excess billing and irregularities associated with the smart prepaid meters implemented under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). Effective immediately, consumers will now receive bills based on their electricity usage after the consumption period rather than in advance, with the first postpaid bill for May 2026 set to be issued in June 2026.

The new postpaid billing arrangement aims to enhance consumer convenience and will be instituted across all electricity distribution corporations within the state, including Purvanchal, Madhyanchal, Dakshinanchal, Pashchimanchal, and KESCO Kanpur. Under this system, bills will be generated by the 10th of each month, and consumers will receive billing notifications via SMS and WhatsApp. In instances where automatic readings are unfeasible, manual readings will be conducted by AMISP agencies to ensure timely billings, thereby addressing consumer concerns regarding billing accuracy and transparency.

Moreover, the government will only issue new electricity connections in smart postpaid mode moving forward. The previously charged security deposit for the prepaid system will be recouped in four equal monthly installments, in accordance with the Electricity Supply Code-2005 and the Cost Data Book-2026. To facilitate this transition and address complaints related to smart meters and billing systems, special assistance camps will be established from May 15 to June 30, along with enhanced support through the 1912 helpline for effective grievance resolution.