Lucknow,

01 Jan (HS): Getting a new electricity connection in Uttar Pradesh has now

become cheaper. This decision has reduced the cost of a single-phase smart

prepaid meter from Rs. 6,016 to Rs. 2,800, while the cost of a three-phase

smart prepaid meter has been reduced from Rs. 11,342 to Rs. 4,100. Furthermore,

the estimate system has been abolished, and connections will be provided

through a fixed charge. Additionally, the old system of providing connections

up to 40 meters will also become a thing of the past.

The

Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued a new cost data

book, giving a big relief to the electricity consumers of the state in the

matter of new connections. On Thursday, Chairman of the Regulatory Commission

Arvind Kumar and member Sanjay Kumar Singh issued the new cost data book. Now

it will be easy to get a new electricity connection. For example, now for

commercial connections up to 150 kilowatts, no estimate will be made within a

distance of 300 meters. This decision has been taken in the meeting of the

sub-committee of the Electricity Supply Code Review Panel.

Reduction

in the prices of smart prepaid meters: Many proposals of the Uttar Pradesh

Electricity Commission have been rejected in the new cost data book. In

particular, the Commission did not approve the proposal to keep the cost of

smart prepaid meter more than Rs 8000. Not only this, accepting the demand of

the Uttar Pradesh Consumer Council, the price of single phase smart prepaid

meter was fixed at Rs 2800 and three phase smart prepaid meter at Rs 4100,

whereas earlier the price fixed by the Electricity Commission was Rs 6016 for

single phase meter and Rs 11342 for three phase meter.

Excess

amount collected will have to be returned: The Electricity Commission was

charging excess amount by making smart prepaid meters mandatory for new

electricity connections from September 9, 2025. After the new system is

implemented, the Electricity Commission will now have to return the excess

amount collected from consumers across the state, amounting to over Rs. 100

crore.

Estimate

system and corruption will be curbed: Under Section 4 (subsection 13) of the

Consumer Rights Rules 2020, the Cost Data Book has been finalized in a new

format. This will eliminate the estimate system associated with electricity

connections. Under the new system, all fees, including processing fees,

security deposits, and metering charges, have been fixed in a lump sum.

Consumers will only have to deposit the prescribed amount; the electricity

department will handle all other technical arrangements.

Hassle-free

connections up to 150 kilowatts, up to 300 meters: Under the new cost data

book, consumers will not have to worry about technical arrangements like

transformers, poles, or conductors for connections up to 150 kilowatts. The

department will have to make all necessary arrangements up to a distance of 300

meters. Connection distances have been divided into three categories: 0 to 100

meters, 101 to 300 meters, and more than 301 meters (separate estimate).

New

colonies will only pay metering charges: According to the new Caste Data Book

2025, residents of undeveloped, non-electrified colonies will only pay metering

charges. The infrastructure fee has been eliminated.

Consumers

will benefit: Awadhesh Kumar Verma, Chairman of the State Electricity Consumer

Council and a member of the sub-committee of the Supply Code Review Panel, said

that corruption is rampant in the process of preparing estimates for

electricity connections. Consumers used to be charged separately for similar

cases, but this will now be curbed. He said that a 2 kilowatt domestic consumer

taking a connection up to 100 meters will now have to deposit only Rs 5500.

Similarly, a consumer located at a distance of 300 meters will get a connection

by depositing Rs 7555. Earlier, in such cases, money was taken in the name of

poles, transformers and other expenses. Besides, under the new system, poor and

BPL consumers will be able to pay the meter price in installments.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi