All Online Power Services to Remain Suspended for 24 Hours Due to New Billing System Upgrade
Patna: The Bihar power distribution companies have issued an important notice for electricity consumers across the state. As part of the implementation of a new and advanced billing system, all online electricity services will remain unavailable from 8:00 PM on Saturday until 8:00 PM on Sunday, June 28. During this 24-hour period, consumers will not be able to pay electricity bills, recharge smart prepaid meters, apply for new connections, register complaints, or access other online services.
However, the power companies have assured consumers that electricity supply to smart prepaid meter users will not be disconnected even if their balance runs out during the maintenance period.
Billing System Migration Underway
According to officials, the existing billing platform is being migrated to a modern digital system designed to provide faster, more secure, and more reliable services. During the migration process, customer records, billing data, payment history, and smart meter information will be safely transferred to the new platform.
To ensure a smooth transition and prevent data errors, all online services will be temporarily suspended.
Services That Will Be Unavailable
The following online services will remain inaccessible during the scheduled maintenance period:
- Online electricity bill payment
- Smart prepaid meter recharge
- Consumer portal services
- Mobile app services
- New electricity connection applications
- Load enhancement or reduction requests
- Online complaint registration
- Bill download facility
- Payment receipt generation
- Other digital consumer services
Consumers have been advised to complete any urgent transactions before the scheduled shutdown.
Relief for Smart Meter Consumers
One of the biggest concerns during the maintenance period was for users of smart prepaid meters, where electricity is normally disconnected automatically once the prepaid balance reaches zero.
The electricity department has clarified that no power supply will be interrupted during the 24-hour maintenance window, even if a consumer's smart meter balance is exhausted.
Consumers will be able to recharge their smart meters normally once the new billing system becomes operational.
Services to Resume After 8 PM on June 28
The electricity department has stated that the new billing system is expected to go live by 8:00 PM on June 28, after which all online services will resume as usual.
If any minor technical issues arise, they will be resolved promptly by the department's technical teams.
Why the New Billing System Is Being Introduced
Officials said the upgrade has become necessary due to the growing number of electricity consumers, the rapid expansion of digital payments, and the increasing adoption of smart meters across Bihar.
The new billing platform is expected to offer several benefits, including:
- Faster bill generation and processing
- Instant payment updates
- More accurate smart meter data
- Quicker complaint resolution
- Improved server capacity
- Enhanced security for online transactions
- Better support for future digital services
Consumers Advised to Make Payments in Advance
The electricity department has urged consumers to clear any pending electricity bills and recharge their smart prepaid meters before the maintenance begins. Although electricity supply will not be disconnected for smart meter users during the outage, consumers are advised to recharge their accounts once services are restored.
Technical Teams to Work Round the Clock
During the 24-hour shutdown, IT and technical teams will continuously monitor the migration process, including data transfer, server upgrades, and system testing, to ensure a seamless launch of the new billing platform.
Millions of Consumers to Be Affected
With millions of consumers in Bihar relying on online platforms for bill payments and smart meter recharges, the temporary suspension will impact users across the state. However, officials emphasized that the inconvenience is temporary and is aimed at delivering a more efficient and consumer-friendly digital service in the future.
Department Appeals for Public Cooperation
The electricity department has requested consumers not to panic during the temporary suspension of online services. Officials said the maintenance is essential for introducing a more advanced, secure, and transparent billing system that will significantly improve customer experience in the long run.
The launch of the new billing platform marks another major step in Bihar's digital transformation of electricity services, promising faster, smarter, and more reliable service delivery for consumers across the state.
