UP CM Yogi Adityanath Orders Urgent Fixes To Power Woes, Slams DISCOMs For Failures

Lucknow: In a high level review meeting on Friday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stressed the need for urgent improvements in Uttar Pradesh’s power supply, calling tripping, overbilling, and unscheduled cuts “unacceptable in any situation.” Describing electricity as no longer just a service but a matter of “public trust,” the Chief Minister issued firm directives to the Energy Department and DISCOMs to raise accountability and act on citizen complaints with urgency.

The meeting came against the backdrop of June’s record peak demand of 31,486 MW, milestone that officials say was met successfully. Yet, across various districts, consumers continue to report disruptions, inconsistent billing, and limited rural supply hours. While the Chief Minister emphasised that the government has no shortage of funds, electricity, or infrastructure, the continued prevalence of supply irregularities suggests that translating intent into impact remains a work in progress.

CM Yogi called for immediate technical audits of feeders and instructed officials to upgrade transformers where needed. He underlined the need to strengthen ground-level response and make billing more transparent and timely. “Every consumer should receive an accurate, timely bill there should be no scope for overbilling,” he said, noting that issues with billing hurt both public confidence and the department’s credibility.

Smart metering which is promoted as a long term solution has reached 31 lakh consumers, with a goal to extend coverage down to the block level. Officials say the process is ongoing, but observers note that adoption in rural areas has remained uneven, often due to legacy infrastructure and field-level bottlenecks.

On the generation side, the state’s installed capacity currently stands at 11,595 MW, with additional power expected from upcoming projects in Ghatampur, Khurja, Panki, and Meja. Once operational, these could raise the total beyond 16,000 MW. The Chief Minister instructed departments to ensure timelines are met and to prioritise agricultural feeder separation and solar-powered tubewells under the PM KUSUM scheme.

While the meeting conveyed the administration’s seriousness, actual progress on many fronts will be closely watched. As power consumption continues to rise with rising temperatures and economic activity, the challenge is not just meeting demand but also ensure that the quality, reliability, and equity of supply keeps pace. The expectations set from the top are high; the implementation will determine whether they’re met.