Power bill: Get 5 pc rebate if you choose prepaid mode in Panchkula

UHBVN will provide a 5 pc rebate in their bills to customers who choose prepaid connections.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Sanjay Verma, SDO, Panchkula, said people who have smart meters installed in their homes can now convert their scheme to a prepaid system by dialing the toll-free number 1912. The only requirement is that the consumer’s bill be cleared before applying for the prepaid mode.

Consumers will still have to pay minimal rental charges of around INR 350 per month, and the tariff charges will be the same as in the postpaid mode, but there will be no security amount charged for non-consumption.
Users who choose prepaid payment will receive a refund of their security deposit in their monthly bills.

Consumers can recharge their prepaid connection through the UHBVN smart meter mobile app, view real-time electricity consumption, and check their balance.

As of now the prepaid mode is used by only 8-10 consumers in the city subdivision.

“Because everything is now monitored by technology, this system will resolve disputes between consumers and providers. As far as I can tell, the issue between tenants and house owner occurs at times, but with prepaid payment, this will no longer be the case. You can only use electricity if you have paid for it,” said Sanjay Verma while discussing the advantages of prepaid metering.

“Smart meter has also helped us with tempered, burnt, and malfunctioning meters as now we get notified the moment the meter stops working. With this, we will dispatch a support team within 24 hours to resolve the issue at no additional cost,” he added.

Sanjay Verma said that UHBVN is also working to strengthen 11KV lines in sectors 9, 16, 15, and a portion of the industrial area in order to improve quality and reduce faults during the summer. In the previous year, the board installed 23 transformers and plans to install 25 more in various sectors by March 31 this year.