Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has reprimanded the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) for failing to deposit a Rs 7.18 lakh penalty within a 15-day period, escalating its action in the smart prepaid meter reconnection delay case that affected nearly 1.93 lakh consumers.The penalty was imposed through UPERC’s June 3 order after the commission took suo motu cognisance of complaints raised by the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad (UPRVUP).The commission found that many prepaid smart meter consumers were not reconnected within the mandatory two-hour period after recharging their accounts, violating the UPERC Standards of Performance Regulations, 2019.According to the order, while more than 92% of reconnections were completed within the prescribed timeline between March 13 and April 10, about 1.93 lakh consumers faced delays beyond two hours.UPERC rejected UPPCL’s explanations, including network issues and system synchronisation problems, holding that such recurring failures could not be justified after the smart metering system became operational.In the latest notice issued on Thursday, the commission expressed displeasure over UPPCL’s failure to comply with its earlier order and directed the utility’s chairman and managing director to ensure that the penalty amount is deposited within the next 15 days, warning that failure to do so could invite further action under the law.UPRVUP chairman Avadhesh Kumar Verma termed the commission’s stand a significant step towards strengthening consumer rights and ensuring accountability of power utilities. He also urged the commission to inform the Uttar Pradesh govt about UPPCL’s continued non-compliance and reiterated the demand for compensation to affected consumers.
