Lucknow, May 8: In a significant move aimed at consumer welfare, the Uttar Pradesh government has ordered all smart meters across the state to operate in postpaid mode. This decision comes under the directive of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma announced that all smart meters installed under the RDSS scheme will be switched to a postpaid system effective immediately. Consumers will now receive their bills after using electricity, with the bill for May 2026 consumption being issued in June 2026.
The Energy Minister emphasized that the government has prioritized the convenience of regular electricity consumers by discontinuing the smart prepaid meter system. Formal orders have been issued to implement this change. This new system will be applicable across various electricity distribution corporations, including Purvanchal, Madhyanchal, Dakshinanchal, and Paschimanchal, as well as KESCO Kanpur, providing significant relief to consumers.
Consumers will receive their bills via SMS and WhatsApp. Smart postpaid bills will be generated by the 10th of each month. In areas where network or communication issues prevent automatic readings from smart meters, manual readings will be taken through AMISP agencies to ensure timely bill availability.
For consumers whose mobile numbers are not registered or are incorrectly entered in the system, extensive outreach will be conducted at the DISCOM level. Additionally, consumers can access their bills through the WhatsApp chatbot of the respective electricity distribution corporation and the 1912 helpline. From now on, all new electricity connections will be issued in smart postpaid mode. The security deposit adjusted during the previous prepaid system will now be added to consumers’ bills in four equal monthly installments, as per the Electricity Supply Code-2005 and Cost Data Book-2026 provisions.
Postpaid consumers will continue to receive a payment period of 15 days from the bill issuance date, followed by a 7-day disconnection period. If payment is not made within the stipulated time, a late payment surcharge will be applied as per the Electricity Supply Code and tariff orders. To provide special relief to domestic consumers, the government has introduced a facility to pay outstanding electricity bills up to April 30, 2026, in 10 easy installments. Other categories of consumers will have the option to pay in three installments of 40%, 30%, and 30%.
To address complaints related to smart meters and electricity bills, special camps and assistance centers will be set up at the offices of Executive Engineers and Sub-Divisional Officers from May 15, 2026, to June 30, 2026. Additionally, special arrangements are being made at the 1912 helpline to ensure prompt resolution of consumer issues.
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