Janmashtami blackout: UP CM Yogi Adityanath orders STF probe

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a probe by the special task force (STF) into the blackouts on Janmashtami, when power supply snapped in scores of households with smart meters following a snag in billing software. A three-day deadline has been set for completing the probe. This comes hours after energy minister Shrikant Sharma wrote to the CM seeking a thorough investigation by STF into the episode, which left UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) brass rattled amid the growing emphasis on smart meters to curb line losses.
UPPCL sources said, the billing software displayed households as erring on bill payment, following which the disconnection command was initiated at the level of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) — nodal agency for installation of smart meters.Larsen and Toubro handles installation of smart meters in the state.
Blackouts were reported across various cities, including Lucknow, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Ghaziabad and Noida on Wednesday afternoon despite these households footing bills, UPPCL sources said.
Though power supply was restored late evening, the damage was done. Sharma has already asked UPPCL chairman, Arvind Kumar, to launch an inquiry.
Venkatesh Dwivedi, director (projects), Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) tweeted that due to a technical error, some smart meters were inadvertently disconnected, despite non-pendency of bills. UP head of EESL, Adesh Saxena and project manager of L&T, Shashikant Agarwal were suspended late Wednesday.
President of UP Upbhogta Parishad, A K Verma, met the energy minister and sought blacklisting of the company which supplied smart meters.
He said arbitrary snapping power may potentially put the grid in danger. Verma said, the inquiry into smart meters registering jumping of reading was still pending.