Lucknow: People living in Uttar Pradesh will now have to pay more for electricity. The reason is a new charge called “fuel surcharge,” which has been added to the bill after five years. This extra charge has been allowed under a new rule called the Multi-Year Tariff 2025.
This is the first time that electricity companies in the state will directly add the fuel surcharge to the bills of common people.
What is Fuel Surcharge?
Fuel surcharge is extra money added to your bill when the cost of making electricity (like fuel cost) goes up. It is just like how the prices of petrol and diesel go up and down. The same way, this fuel charge will also go up or down depending on fuel prices.
This April, people will have to pay 1.24% more on their electricity bills. For example, if your bill was Rs 1000 in March, you will now pay Rs 1012.40 in April because of the fuel surcharge.
Many People Are Not Happy
Many electricity users and groups are not happy with this decision. Awadhesh Verma from the UP Electric Consumer Council said that UPPCL already owes a big amount of Rs 33,122 crore to consumers. He said it’s unfair to increase bills without giving back that money.
He also said that this extra charge will increase the burden on normal people who are already paying high prices for other things.
What Should You Do?
People should be ready for higher electricity bills, especially in summer when usage is more. The fuel surcharge can change every month, just like petrol prices, depending on how much it costs to produce electricity.
This change is a part of a new system where bills will be updated based on real costs. But many believe it should be done with more care and fairness.
So, check your electricity bills closely from now on. If you see a small increase, it could be because of this new fuel charge.
