Technical snag in HPSEBL app delays bill payments

A large number of electricity consumers in the region were unable to pay their monthly bills to the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Ltd. (HPSEBL) due to a persistent technical glitch. The issue, which began three days prior to the deadline, remained unresolved until the last date for payment on Monday, leaving users frustrated and facing penalties.

According to local consumers, attempts to generate bills online or pay through the HPSEB app and UPI platforms consistently failed. When trying to refresh the HPSEBL billing app, users encountered a repeated error message: “Something went wrong.” Similarly, UPI-based payments triggered the notification, “The HPSEBL is unavailable right now, try paying bill later.” As a result, no transactions could be completed, even for bills generated earlier.

Many residents, including Joginder Kumar, Pradeep, Surinder and Anil Kumar, expressed dismay over having to pay late fees despite not being at fault. They urged the authorities to either waive off the penalty or extend the due date for payment.

In response, Bhupinder Singh, Assistant Engineer of the Electrical Subdivision in Nupur, confirmed the problem had been communicated to the IT wing of HPSEBL. He assured that efforts would be made to seek an extension of the payment deadline, although such decisions fall outside the purview of local authorities.