Ludhiana, Oct. 27 -- Over 27.12 lakh consumers across Ludhiana district have defaulted on their regular electricity bills mount Rs.238.9 crore to the central zone of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) as of August. These mounting arrears are bleeding the state utility's finances dry, raising concerns about the corporation's ability to maintain infrastructure and ensure reliable power supply, officials familiar with the matter said.

Breaking down the official data of defaulters by category, domestic consumers lead the list with 18.8 lakh accounts, followed by commercial consumers (73,689) and industrial consumers (9,264). Additionally, 168 agriculture consumers have also contributed to the pending dues.

In terms of outsta...