Lucknow, May 31: Discontent among electricity consumers in Uttar Pradesh is escalating due to rising rates. Avadhesh Kumar Verma, president of the State Electricity Consumers Council, has criticized the newly imposed 10% surcharge as unjust and is calling for a reconsideration of this decision.
He stated that residents are already struggling with extreme heat and insufficient electricity supply, while being burdened with additional financial strain.
Verma pointed out that consumers have previously faced issues with smart meters, and ongoing power cuts are adding to their frustrations. He believes that a 10% increase in electricity rates will further exacerbate the difficulties faced by the public. The government must intervene and provide relief to consumers.
He announced that a petition against this decision will be filed with the Electricity Regulatory Commission on Monday. Verma claims that the Power Corporation made this decision based on incorrect premises. The commission had approved a power purchase cost of ₹4.94 per unit for March 2026, while the Power Corporation asserts that the actual cost is ₹5.86 per unit. This discrepancy has led to an additional collection of approximately ₹1,610 crores from consumers through the surcharge.
However, he argued that electricity companies already have a surplus of about ₹51,000 crores. Therefore, imposing new financial burdens on the public is entirely unreasonable.
Verma warned that the electricity crisis could worsen in the coming days, as the current power production situation is not satisfactory. The Consumers Council is prepared to fight at all levels to protect the interests of the public.
He also reminded that there are around 3.73 crore electricity consumers in the state. Ignoring the public’s difficulties during an election period could be detrimental for any government.
Verma urged the government to take timely and concrete steps to relieve consumers.
In response, Kailash Singh Rajput, a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government, stated, “Recently, after taking oath as a state minister with the Chief Minister‘s blessings, we held a meeting to review the electricity supply situation in my home district of Kannauj, neighboring Farrukhabad, and other areas. The review meeting concluded, and the identified shortcomings were addressed to ensure relief and benefits for consumers during this extreme heat.”
He added that he was unaware of reports regarding the proposed 10% increase in electricity bills starting in June.
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