UPPCL Launches Intensive Campaign to Address Rs 1,066 Crore Smart Meter Dues in Uttar Pradesh
The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has initiated a crucial two-week campaign aimed at recovering substantial outstanding electricity dues from smart meter users across the state. With negative balances now accumulating to a staggering Rs 1,066.66 crore, this drive seeks to bring lakhs of consumers back into positive territory and ensure smoother power distribution operations.
Understanding the Negative Balance Crisis
A negative balance occurs when a consumer utilizes more electricity than they have paid for in advance, leading to mounting dues that remain unsettled. According to internal dashboards and meter data management systems, the situation has reached alarming proportions. Out of 54.81 lakh prepaid consumers recorded in the system, a massive 44.02 lakh (approximately 80%) are currently operating in the red, highlighting a widespread issue that demands immediate attention.
Strategic Campaign Directives from UPPCL Leadership
UPPCL Managing Director Pankaj Kumar has issued clear directives to all distribution companies, mandating a special awareness campaign from February 2 to February 17. This initiative will concentrate on three fundamental aspects:
- Encouraging consumers to recharge their smart meters promptly
- Verifying mobile numbers through OTP authentication processes
- Onboarding users to the official UPPCL smart application for seamless management
To ensure effective implementation, superintending engineers have been appointed as nodal officers. They will oversee the circulation of substation-wise lists detailing consumers with negative balances. Dedicated teams will then engage in comprehensive outreach, training sessions, and publicity efforts to educate the public about the importance of maintaining positive balances.
Officials have emphasized that persistent negative balances could eventually lead to disconnection of power supply, urging consumers to take proactive steps to avoid such disruptions.
Regional Breakdown and Debt Distribution Patterns
The burden of outstanding dues is unevenly distributed across various distribution companies in Uttar Pradesh. A detailed analysis reveals the following breakdown:
- PuVVNL: Carries the largest burden with 15.54 lakh consumers owing Rs 374.19 crore
- MVVNL: Follows with 9.9 lakh consumers and dues of Rs 248.85 crore
- PVVNL: Accounts for 7.89 lakh consumers with Rs 223.87 crore in arrears
- DVVNL: Has 10.29 lakh consumers with outstanding amounts of Rs 209.73 crore
- KESCo: Represents 41,166 consumers with dues totaling Rs 10.02 crore
The depth of these dues varies significantly among consumer segments. The Rs 1,001-5,000 bracket, encompassing 14.36 lakh consumers, holds the highest cumulative 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 consists of 5,147 consumers who owe over Rs 1 lakh, collectively accounting for Rs 160.1 crore in outstanding payments.
Recharge Behavior and Systemic Challenges
Another concerning trend identified by UPPCL is the recharge behavior among consumers. Data indicates that 2.65 crore consumers have never recharged their smart meters, pointing to potential gaps in onboarding procedures and data hygiene issues within the system. This statistic underscores the need for more robust consumer education and streamlined processes.
Targeted Recovery Efforts and Public Grievances
Officials have identified specific areas requiring focused intervention beyond general awareness campaigns. Regions with deep arrears, such as Varanasi-zone 1, Gorakhpur-zone 1, Sitapur, and Ayodhya, may need targeted recovery strategies and enhanced grievance redressal mechanisms to address localized challenges effectively.
Avadhesh Kumar Verma, a member of the UPERC advisory committee and chairperson of the UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad, has highlighted growing public resentment. He attributes this dissatisfaction to widespread complaints about faulty billing practices, absence of proper meter testing protocols, and failures in existing grievance-redressal systems. These issues have compounded the negative balance problem, making consumer cooperation more challenging.
As UPPCL rolls out this comprehensive campaign, the focus remains on balancing recovery efforts with consumer support, aiming to restore financial stability while maintaining trust in the state's power infrastructure.
