UP's prepaid smart meter drive sees more heat than light. Here's why

A Noida-based journalist was in the middle of an important Zoom meeting when the lights went out. The Wi-Fi snapped and his laptop screen froze. He switched to mobile data, but when power wasn't restored even after an hour, alarm bells rang. A call to society management revealed the twist. "My electricity meter had been quietly switched from postpaid to pre-paid, and my balance had slipped into the negative. So, the supply had been cut," said the journalist.

"I must have missed that one email," he said, adding that his society's WhatsApp group was flooded with similar complaints. Meters were changed from post-paid to pre-paid "bina pooche (without being asked)".

This comes even as Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on April 3 clarified that pre-paid smart meters were not mandatory for all consumers. Yet, the journalist faced an ordeal. And the ordeal is just one glimpse into the growing unease around Uttar Pradesh's pre-paid smart push.

Across districts in Uttar Pradesh, consumers are flagging a range of issues. Apart from alleged installation without consent, there have been complaints of sudden spikes in electricity bills, power cuts despite positive balance on the app, and frequent technical glitches in the new pre-paid meter system.

In Uttar Pradesh's Jalaun, villagers dumped their smart meters onto the streets and staged a road blockade, alleging that their electricity bills had shot up after the pre-paid meters were installed, reported Aaj Tak, India Today Digital's sister portal. In Aligarh, the anger spilt over as a group of women surrounded a power department official and chased him away.

It's the reports of these very problems faced by customers that have turned the pre-paid smart meter rollout in Uttar Pradesh into a policy that is generating more heat than light. The controversy comes even as the north is bracing for a harsh summer with the mercury inching up with every passing day.

Taking note of the mounting complaints against discoms for allegedly forcing consumers to switch to pre-paid smart meters, the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has stepped in. The regulator on Sunday directed the state's parent DISCOM, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), to submit a detailed report within 10 days.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday said that electricity would not be disrupted for three days even after smart meters, which are soon to be installed, run out of balance.

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

Uttar Pradesh has been aggressively rolling out pre-paid smart meters as part of the national Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), which is aimed at modernising power distribution, curbing commercial losses and improving revenue recovery.

The UPPCL and its discoms targeted the replacement of nearly 3.5 crore conventional meters with smart pre-paid versions. Around 78 lakh smart pre-paid meters had already been installed in Uttar Pradesh by mid-April. Over 70 lakh of them are operating in pre-paid mode, according to a report in The Times of India.

Officials have long pitched the move as a win-win. The installation of the pre-paid smart meters would allow real-time consumption tracking through the UPPCL Smart App, and the elimination of billing disputes. It would also reduce theft, AT&C losses (historically high in the state), and no security deposit would be required for consumers opting for pre-paid connections.

New connections were mandated in pre-paid mode from September 2025 under UPPCL orders, and existing postpaid meters are being replaced. The system promised SMS alerts for low balance and easier recharges, reported the Hindustan Times.

Prepaid electricity meters (mostly smart prepaid ones under the RDSS have been installed on a significant scale primarily in Bihar, Assam, Gujarat, some parts of West Bengal and a few smaller states. Overall, the rolling out of pre-paid smart meters has reportedly seen success. Bihar, according to reports, has fared well in its installations and theft of power.

The Bihar State Power Holding Company Limited (BSPHCL) in February said its AI-driven electricity theft detection system in smart prepaid energy meters generated Rs 1.46 crore in additional billing, reported the Hindustan Times.

PM Narendra Modi in January praised Assam for the installation of over 50 lakh smart prepaid meters, calling it a milestone. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in December 2025 said that the state saved Rs 33.75 crore in electricity expenses over the past nine months. He attributed the savings to the implementation of accurate billing, individual metering, and smart meters in government offices, Sarma said on X.

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

However, the rollout of the pre-paid smart meters ignited widespread discontent.

Consumers across districts — Lucknow, Jalaun, Kanpur and Aligarh — have reported meters being swapped without permission, often during routine checks, which they said was violating the spirit of consumer choice.

In Noida societies and Lucknow's Indira Nagar Laulai area, residents protested en masse, with women, elderly and children blocking substations and demanding restoration of old postpaid meters. Local councillor Mamta Rawat, who was present at one of these demonstrations, said that the residents "do not want pre-paid meters", The Times of India reported.

"My smart meter was functioning properly and payments were being made on time. Despite this, your department forcibly installed a pre-paid meter on February 22. Furthermore, we have not received any bills till now. On April 16, at around 1.30 PM, some officials came but left without providing proper info. On the other hand, I know that complaint will not be resolved. Therefore, I am informing you. Kindly do the needful and ensure that billing is done based on my previous smart meter," Samrat Gupta, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Rasra town in Balia district, posted on X.

In Jalaun's Madhogarh town, protests turned volatile. Hundreds of villagers, led by women, gathered at Chitaura power station, alleging bills had skyrocketed to Rs 5,000 or more despite erratic supply. Residents uprooted meters, blocked roads and clashed with officials. The police booked over 70 people, including 18 named suspects, reported Aaj Tak.

Similar scenes unfolded in Aligarh, where women surrounded and chased away the power department's Superintendent Engineer, accusing the new meters of faulty readings and financial exploitation, reported UP Tak, India Today Digital's sister portal.

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

Several reports and complaints of sudden bill spikes after the installation of pre-paid smart meters have been reported too.

Lucknow-based author-activist Pooja Francis, calling the new smart meters "Loot meters", highlighted on X a case from Uttar Pradesh's Mathura.

"Many women reported that their electricity bills have significantly increased after the smart meters were installed... One protester mentioned that while her bill used to be around Rs 700- Rs 800 monthly, it has now jumped to Rs 7,000- Rs 8,000, which is unaffordable," Francis posted on X, sharing a ground report from a local YouTube channel, Samachar24.

There have also been complaints about glitches and problems with the app, which is designed to give real-time information on energy usage and balance recharge.

"The UPPCL smart app is neither refreshing data nor showing the latest data. I am unable to monitor my consumption and remaining balance," Aligarh-based Shailesh Pratap Singh posted on X.

"The UPPCL SMART app is not working. I am a user of a smart pre-paid meter in Gorakhpur. My account number is 7xx5xx5xx and mobile no is 7xx7xx9xxx. Please help," Ashvini Mishra, an employee of the Baroda Uttar Pradesh Gramin Bank, posted on X, tagging the UPPCL.

People of Uttar Pradesh have also complained about automatic disconnections even with positive balances or minor negative bill dues.

Tagging the UPPCL on X, Arvind Kimar alleged he faced a "big scam", adding the UPPCL's service was "very poor".

"My March bill was Rs 3949. I paid Rs 4249 (Rs 251 extra). Yet my connection was disconnected, showing a negative balance of Rs 2349. I was forced to pay another Rs 2400 to restore it," Kumar posted on X, along with four screenshots.

A person named Azad said that his electricity connection was "disconnected [while] the bill was paid".

"Please check and resolve the issue on priority. Supply is not connected, but in UPPCL SMART APP, it shows that electricity is being used. Please resolve," Azad posted on X, sharing screenshots of confirmation 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 but have faced mounting pressure since people took to the streets and flagged the problems they faced.

On April 3, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar told the Lok Sabha in a written reply to MPs Chandra Shekhar and Hanuman Beniwal that pre-paid smart meters were "optional and based on consumer choice".

Khattar stressed that existing consumers cannot be forced. The provision only obligates licensees to provide pre-paid meters on request, without security deposit, and incentivises adoption rather than enforcement.

Later, amid mounting pressure, the UPERC on April 17 wrote to the UPPCL, demanding a detailed report within 10 days on compliance with the Act and CEA guidelines.

Days later, on April 19, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government hit the pause button. Energy and Urban Development Minister AK Sharma, after a high-level review, announced that replacement of existing meters, whether forced or voluntary, stood suspended with immediate effect until a four-member technical committee (constituted April 12 under CM directions) submits its report on accuracy, billing and grievances.

UPPCL Chairman Ashish Goyal issued formal orders to all discoms late Saturday. New connections will still receive smart pre-paid meters to avoid service disruptions.

To ease immediate pain, Sharma unveiled consumer-friendly relief. In areas with installed smart meters, a 15-day conversion grace plus 30 days (total of around 45 days) of uninterrupted supply, regardless of balance, was announced.

Even at zero balance, power would continue for up to three days or up to Rs 200 usage for loads up to 2 kW. Low-balance SMS alerts have been reportedly reinforced, and the interrupted supply of power was also announced.

While the pre-paid smart meters might have been brought in with the idea of reforms, on the ground, it gave birth to resentment and protests. For now, the government has hit pause and offered relief. And the bigger test lies ahead. Fixing the lines and trust, along with the technology, would be the big task ahead for power department officials in Uttar Pradesh. Or else, the push for pre-paid smart meters would continue to see more heat than light.

- Ends