22-04-2025
Electricity Bills To Go Up In UP From This Month, Rates Hiked After 5 Years
Electricity bills in Uttar Pradesh will rise due to a new 1.24% "fuel surcharge", a mechanism that had remained dormant for nearly five years.
In a move that has taken consumers by surprise, electricity bills in Uttar Pradesh have quietly climbed higher, with a newly imposed surcharge now appearing in the bills for April 2025. The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has implemented a 1.24% increase in power tariffs, disguised as a 'fuel surcharge", a mechanism that had remained dormant for nearly five years.
Unlike a conventional tariff hike that requires public notification, this additional charge was levied quietly, causing concern among households and commercial consumers alike. The surcharge, tied to fluctuating fuel costs, will now be recalibrated monthly, mirroring the pricing model used for petrol and diesel.
This means electricity bills will now rise or fall based on power consumption and market fuel prices, adding an element of unpredictability to monthly budgeting. But with rising temperatures already pushing up electricity usage, the impact for most consumers is expected to be an immediate rise in costs rather than any relief. A consumer who paid Rs 1,000 in March, for instance, will now pay Rs 1,012.40 for the same usage in April.
The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission, under the Multi Year Tariff Regulation 2025, has empowered distribution companies to adjust tariffs monthly through what is known as the Fuel and Power Purchase Adjustment Surcharge (FPPAS). This is the first time such a mechanism is being implemented in the state.
Calling the surcharge unjustified, the Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Consumer Council has vowed to oppose it. UPPCL still owes Rs 33,122 crore to consumers, and instead of settling this, they've decided to hike the bills, said Awadhesh Verma, president of the council. This backdoor increase is unacceptable, and we will protest against it, he added.
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