Citizens who invested lakhs of rupees in rooftop solar systems to reduce their electricity bills are now grappling with unexpectedly high power bills, triggering concern and anger among consumers. While some have received bills of Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000, others claim to have been charged more than Rs 1 lakh. A software malfunction in the recently installed smart meters is suspected to be the cause.
Complaints from solar consumers surged sharply in June, with several residents alleging that their electricity bills have skyrocketed after the installation of smart meters by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).
Residents of the seven-storey Utkarsh Kamal apartment in Dharampeth are among those affected. The family of late Arvind Shahpurkar, former Vidarbha regional organising secretary of the BJP, has also reported receiving an unusually high bill.
His wife, Mira Shahpurkar, alleged that smart meters were installed in the building last month without obtaining residents’ consent. According to her, the family’s electricity bill, which stood at Rs 780 in March, has jumped to Rs 13,050 this month. Several other residents of the building have also received bills exceeding Rs 10,000, she claimed.
Hundreds of similar complaints have reportedly been lodged with MSEDCL in recent weeks. Sources within the power utility said a technical glitch in the smart meter software is suspected to have caused the billing discrepancies.
Preliminary findings suggest that the meters may not be accurately recording the electricity generated by rooftop solar systems, resulting in inflated consumption figures. Technical teams have begun inspecting the affected smart meters to identify the exact cause of the problem and verify whether the software malfunction is responsible for the incorrect billing.
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