LUCKNOW, May 3 -- Despite the Centre easing its stance on prepaid smart meters, consumers in Uttar Pradesh remain confused and effectively without choice, as ground-level implementation tells a different story.

Even as the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has indicated that prepaid meters are no longer mandatory, the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) continues to issue new connections only in prepaid mode, while the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has yet to take a clear position, leaving consumers with little choice.

A fresh round of confusion has gripped Uttar Pradesh's power sector after the Centre's revised gazette notification dropped the explicit mandate for "prepaid smart meters," yet grou...