Lucknow: After cases of inflated electricity bills, including a consumer in Unnao receiving a bill of Rs 1.18 lakh against a 1 kW connection, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has introduced a two-stage audit mechanism to detect abnormal meter readings and unusually high bills before they reach consumers.The move is aimed at preventing billing errors caused by faulty data entry or incorrect meter readings.UPPCL chairman and principal secretary (energy) Ranvir Prasad said the initiative was launched following directions from chief minister Yogi Adityanath to ensure accurate billing. He said the system would address clerical and human errors and would be refined further based on operational experience.The trigger for the reform was highlighted by cases such as that of Usha Pal of Unnao, whose bill was later revised from Rs 1.18 lakh to Rs 37,496 after correction of records for the period between Nov 2025 and Nov 2026.UPPCL director (commercial) Prashant Verma said the new mechanism would function in two stages. In the first stage, or pre-audit, meter readings will be verified before bill generation. Any consumption exceeding 24 units per kilowatt of sanctioned load per day will be automatically flagged for scrutiny.The system will also examine the maximum demand indicator (MDI), which records the highest electricity demand registered by a meter. Readings exceeding 10 times the sanctioned load, or an MDI above 14 kW for single-phase meters and 44 kW for three-phase meters, will trigger verification.Verma said simple data-entry errors, such as entering 9,990 units instead of 990 units, could generate highly inflated bills. Such discrepancies would now be caught before bills are issued.Under the second stage, or post-audit, generated bills will be screened for abnormalities. Accounts showing a credit balance of more than Rs 15,000, outstanding dues above Rs 5 lakh per kilowatt of sanctioned load, or current bill assessments exceeding Rs 10,000 per kilowatt will be flagged.These cases will undergo a maker-checker process under which field staff will verify readings and a designated senior official will approve them before bills are released. The verification process may take an additional five to 10 days.Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad chairman Avadhesh Kumar Verma said a double-stage audit system could reduce billing disputes, improve consumer confidence and encourage timely payment of electricity bills.
