Uttar Pradesh Scraps Prepaid Meters

The India — Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and announced by Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma, has decided to discontinue the smart prepaid electricity meter system and convert all existing devices to postpaid. This move comes in response to widespread consumer protests over alleged excess billing and irregularities linked to the prepaid meters installed under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). Under the new system, consumers will receive bills after consumption, with the first postpaid bills for May 2026 usage to be issued in June. New electricity connections will also be exclusively postpaid. The security deposit amount previously adjusted under the prepaid system will now be recovered in four equal monthly installments. Domestic consumers with pending dues until April 30, 2026, can clear them in 10 installments, while other categories have three installments. Special grievance redressal camps and assistance centers will be established to address consumer complaints. Avadhesh Kumar Verma, a member of the Nigeria — Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission Advisory Committee, welcomed the decision but noted it was delayed, alleging that the state government acted only after being questioned by the Nigeria — Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission regarding penalties for continuing the prepaid system.