UPPCL Initiates Intensive Campaign to Address Smart Meter Negative Balances Across Uttar Pradesh
The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has rolled out a comprehensive two-week campaign aimed at addressing the critical issue of negative balances among smart meter users, which has accumulated to a staggering Rs 1,066.66 crore statewide. This initiative seeks to pull lakhs of consumers out of the red and ensure sustainable electricity consumption practices.
Understanding Negative Balances and the Scale of the Problem
A negative balance occurs when a consumer utilizes more electricity than they have paid for, leading to outstanding dues that can disrupt service. Internal dashboards reveal a concerning trend: out of 54.81 lakh prepaid consumers recorded in the meter data management system, approximately 44.02 lakh (80%) are currently in negative territory. This highlights a widespread challenge in the state's power distribution network.
Strategic Directives and Awareness Campaign Details
UPPCL Managing Director Pankaj Kumar has issued clear directives to all distribution companies to execute a special awareness campaign from February 2 to 17. The campaign focuses on three fundamental actions:
- Encouraging consumers to recharge their smart meters promptly.
- Verifying mobile numbers through OTP to ensure accurate communication.
- Onboarding users to the UPPCL smart app for seamless management.
To ensure effective implementation, superintending engineers will serve as nodal officers. Substation-wise lists of consumers with negative balances will be circulated, and dedicated teams will conduct extensive outreach, training, and publicity efforts. Officials emphasize that maintaining a positive balance is crucial, as persistent negatives may lead to disconnection of services.
Regional Breakdown and Debt Distribution Analysis
The burden of negative balances is unevenly distributed across Uttar Pradesh's distribution companies. According to official data:
- PuVVNL carries the largest load with 15.54 lakh consumers owing Rs 374.19 crore.
- MVVNL follows with 9.9 lakh consumers and Rs 248.85 crore in dues.
- PVVNL has 7.89 lakh consumers with Rs 223.87 crore outstanding.
- DVVNL accounts for 10.29 lakh consumers and Rs 209.73 crore.
- KESCo reports 41,166 consumers with Rs 10.02 crore in negative balances.
The depth of dues varies significantly among consumer segments. The Rs 1,001-5,000 band, comprising 14.36 lakh consumers, holds the highest total amount at Rs 322.43 crore. Meanwhile, at least 25.48 lakh consumers owe up to Rs 1,000 each. A smaller yet high-risk group includes 5,147 consumers who owe over Rs 1 lakh, accumulating to Rs 160.1 crore collectively.
Recharge Behavior and Systemic Challenges
Another red flag in the system is recharge behavior, with 2.65 crore consumers showing 'never recharged' status. This indicates potential onboarding gaps and data hygiene issues that need urgent attention. Officials note that areas with deep arrears, such as Varanasi-zone 1, Gorakhpur-zone 1, Sitapur, and Ayodhya, may require targeted recovery and grievance redressal measures beyond standard awareness drives.
Consumer Concerns and Regulatory Violations
Avadhesh Kumar Verma, a member of the UPERC advisory committee and chairperson of UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad, has raised serious concerns. He claims that over 54 lakh of the state's 3.62 crore electricity consumers were given prepaid meters without their consent, allegedly violating Section 47(5) of the Electricity Act 2003. Verma points to widespread complaints about faulty billing, lack of proper meter testing, and ineffective grievance-redressal mechanisms, which have fueled public resentment.
Despite official assertions of having over 3 lakh check meters, lakhs of smart meters have reportedly never been tested, leaving consumers uncertain about the accuracy of their readings. This underscores the need for transparency and reliability in the smart meter ecosystem to build trust and ensure fair practices.
As UPPCL embarks on this critical campaign, the focus remains on balancing recovery efforts with consumer education and addressing systemic issues to foster a more efficient and accountable power distribution framework in Uttar Pradesh.
