UP: SP MP warns smart meters may hike bills 100% amid 10% surcharge

Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad slammed UPPCL's 10% electricity bill hike in UP, warning that new smart meters could push bills up by 100% and calling for their immediate removal before they 'ruin everything'.

Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad on Saturday raised concerns over the 10% electricity bill hike by the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), saying that the government's smart meters could push bills up by as much as 100%. Calling for their removal, he warned that the meters could "ruin everything". "The smart meter installed by the government will further increase the bill, not just by 10% but up to 100%. These smart meters must be removed before it ruins everything," Prasad told ANI.

UPPCL Implements 10% 'Fuel Surcharge'

The warning comes after the UPPCL issued a notification implementing a 10% increase in electricity bills under a 'fuel surcharge', citing rising fuel prices. The revised bills will be issued in the June 2026 billing cycle.

How the FPPAS Surcharge Works

In a letter, Pankaj Saxena, the Chief Engineer of the Regulatory Affairs Unit (RAU), stated that the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC), through its notification dated March 26, 2025, has issued new regulations for electricity distribution under the Multi-Year Tariff (MYT) framework. He added that under these rules, a Fuel and Power Purchase Adjustment Surcharge (FPPAS) will be levied on consumers to account for fluctuations in fuel and power purchase costs incurred by distribution companies.

"As per the regulation, any extra power purchase and transmission costs incurred in a given month are recovered after a delay of three months. This means the additional cost incurred in March 2026 will be recovered from consumers in June 2026", stated Saxena.

He further added that "For March 2026, the surcharge has been calculated at 10% under Clause 16(4) of the MYT Regulations, 2025. This 10% FPPAS will therefore be added to electricity bills issued in June 2026 and will apply across all categories of consumers."

"The directive instructs distribution companies to implement this surcharge uniformly for all consumers as per the regulatory framework. A detailed calculation sheet has also been provided for reference and is to be uploaded on the official website for transparency," added Saxena. The directive instructs distribution companies to implement the surcharge uniformly and upload detailed calculation sheets on their websites for transparency.

Context of Rising Fuel Prices

The move coincides with rising petrol and diesel prices, which have crossed record levels in major cities, including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai, adding to the financial burden on consumers and transport operators. Petrol prices in Delhi have crossed Rs 102 per litre, while diesel reached Rs 95.20 per litre following the latest revision. (ANI)

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