Nearly 1 Million Prepaid Electricity Consumers in Uttar Pradesh Remain Disconnected
After disconnections in mid-March, nearly 10 lakh prepaid consumers in UP still in ‘dark’
Hindustan Times
Image: Hindustan Times
As of April 18, 2026, approximately 977,722 prepaid electricity consumers in Uttar Pradesh, India, are still disconnected due to recharge arrears totaling ₹1,366.62 crore (roughly $164 million USD). The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) is urging consumers to recharge their meters to restore power, highlighting significant challenges in the prepaid smart meter rollout.
- 01Nearly 1 million prepaid consumers remain disconnected in Uttar Pradesh.
- 02Total recharge arrears amount to ₹1,366.62 crore (approximately $164 million USD).
- 03The Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PuVVNL) has the highest number of disconnections.
- 04About 27% of prepaid consumers statewide are operating with negative balances.
- 05The prepaid model rollout is facing substantial consumer-side challenges.
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As of April 18, 2026, 977,722 prepaid electricity consumers in Uttar Pradesh, India, remain disconnected from the power grid after their connections were severed due to recharge arrears totaling ₹1,366.62 crore (approximately $164 million USD). This situation follows a mass disconnection drive that affected over 5 million consumers in mid-March. The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) chairman, Ashish Kumar Goyal, has instructed officials to assist consumers in recharging their meters to restore power. The Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PuVVNL) is the hardest hit, with 389,329 disconnections remaining unresolved. The region has processed 9,40,038 recharges worth ₹352.92 crore (about $42 million USD) but still faces a significant backlog. Additionally, 21,92,771 prepaid consumers across the state are operating with negative balances, totaling ₹636.14 crore (roughly $76 million USD). This indicates a troubling trend in the prepaid smart meter system, which is experiencing considerable friction among consumers despite its aggressive rollout.
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The ongoing disconnection crisis affects nearly 1 million households, leaving many without power and potentially impacting daily life and local businesses.
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