There is significant news for those planning to get a new electricity connection in Uttarakhand. Obtaining a new connection in the state will become costlier starting November 1st. However, alongside the rate hike, the Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (UERC) has made the connection process significantly easier and more transparent. The implementation of these new rules will provide relief from the arbitrary behavior of UPCL engineers and the hassle of making repeated, unnecessary visits. This order was issued by a bench comprising Commission Chairman M.L. Prasad, Legal Member Anurag Sharma, and Technical Member Prabhat Kishore Dimri.

**Service Line Charges and New Rates**

According to the Regulatory Commission's new order, service line charges have been increased. Under these provisions, BPL consumers seeking connections up to 4 kW will have to pay ₹150 instead of ₹100 for service line charges. Meanwhile, general consumers will have to pay ₹1,400 instead of ₹1,000 for connections up to 4 kW. For higher-capacity connections, the service line charges have been fixed at ₹3,000 for the 4–10 kW range and ₹5,000 for the 10–25 kW range, with a security deposit of ₹600. Additionally, category-specific extra security charges have also been determined.

**No Security Deposit for Prepaid Meters**

Consumers have received the greatest relief under the rules regarding the smart/prepaid meter category. Consumers opting for prepaid connections will no longer be charged any security deposit or additional security amount; they will only be required to pay the prescribed fee for the prepaid meter itself.

**Rates Fixed for Line Laying and Transformers**

BPL consumers will not be charged any fee for laying electricity lines up to a distance of 300 meters. For distances exceeding 300 meters, a charge of ₹400 per 10 meters will apply. For general consumers with a load of up to 4 kW, the charges have been fixed at ₹900 for a distance of up to 300 meters, while the rate for an underground line is set at ₹2,700.

The requirement for individual site inspections and the preparation of separate cost estimates for obtaining a connection has now been eliminated. Rates have also been fixed for the installation of transformers on the consumer's premises; the applicable charges are ₹2 lakh for a 25 kVA transformer and ₹2.75 lakh for a 63 kVA transformer.

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