Smart meters face increasing consumer woes, demand for ban on prepaid mode

News Topical, Digital Desk : In view of the problems faced by consumers due to non-availability of electricity from smart prepaid meters even after recharge, the Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Consumer Council has demanded a ban on the prepaid mode and a high-level technical investigation.

Council President Awadhesh Verma will file a public interest motion with the Electricity Regulatory Commission on Wednesday regarding the flaws in smart meters, demanding a halt to payments to the meter companies involved. The council has also requested the Chief Minister's intervention in the matter.

Verma says there are technical flaws in the MDM (Meter Data Management) of the 10 clusters installed under the Smart Prepaid Meter Project. Due to undercapacity, connections that automatically disconnect due to negative balances are not being reconnected even hours after recharge.

Balance updates are taking time due to disruptions in real-time data processing. The Council President called for an independent audit of the actual processing capacity and load handling of MDM. Companies that have installed systems with lower capacity should face strict punitive action.

To provide immediate relief to consumers, the expansion of smart prepaid mode should be halted until the system is fully restored. More than 7 million smart prepaid meters have been installed in the state so far through private companies.

Approximately ₹400 crore has already been paid for this. It is noteworthy that the project was approved by the Government of India for approximately ₹18,885 crore, while tenders have been awarded at a cost of ₹27,342 crore.

Congress President writes letter to Chief Minister regarding smart prepaid meter

State Congress President Ajay Rai has written a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding smart prepaid meters. He has demanded the Chief Minister's intervention, stating that meters are being converted to prepaid mode without consumers' knowledge.

He has demanded from the Chief Minister that the smart prepaid meter system should be suspended with immediate effect until the system becomes completely flawed.

Additionally, a set period should be established for restoring power after bill payment. If power is not restored during that time, action should be taken against the concerned officials and employees. He said that smart prepaid meters should not be installed without consumer consent.

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