Overview
- Uttar Pradesh, which paused the smart prepaid meter rollout Sunday after a review in Lucknow, is awaiting a 10-day report from a four-member team that includes IIT Kanpur and ERDA experts.
- Smart meter users will keep getting power for up to three days, or until Rs 200 of use for loads up to 2 kW, even when the prepaid balance reaches zero.
- Disconnections are barred on Sundays and public holidays to prevent sudden shutoffs for households on prepaid meters.
- Homes where smart meters were recently installed get a transition window of about 45 days with no cuts, starting with 15 days for conversion followed by 30 days to adapt.
- A five-step plan will text customers at 30% and 10% balance, at zero, the day before a cut, and after a cut, and the state has expanded complaint channels through toll-free 1912, regional helplines, the UPPCL website, and a WhatsApp chatbot following widespread concerns over billing clarity and automatic disconnections.