Lucknow, Dec. 5 -- Uttar Pradesh's power sector is burdened with an extraordinary Rs 55,980 crore in unpaid electricity dues locked against more than 1.45 crore consumers across small domestic and commercial categories. A large share of them have never paid their bills even once. An internal document discussed during a recent review meeting by energy minister AK Sharma discloses that the surcharge component alone has swollen to Rs 21,553 crore, almost two-thirds of the principal amount of Rs 33,427 crore, showing how habitual non-payment has steadily converted routine dues into an unmanageable stock of legacy arrears. The Bijli Bill Rahat Yojana, or the one-time settlement scheme, launched by the UP Power Corporation Ltd on December 1, targets consumers with loads of up to two kW (domestic) and 1 kW (commercial). The domestic 1 kW category, which forms the backbone of rural and semi-urban consumption, shows the sharpest accumulation of arrears. Here, 49.44 lakh consumers have never paid a single bill, with dues standing at Rs 25,319 crore, while another 71.91 lakh consumers hold dues of Rs 15,097 crore. Together, the 1.21 crore domestic 1 kW consumers alone carry Rs 41,416 crore in arrears. The domestic 2 kW category, though smaller in size, displays a similarly entrenched pattern. Of the 22.50 lakh consumers in this group, 4.28 lakh have never paid and owe Rs 6,907 crore, while 18.21 lakh long-unpaid consumers add another Rs 6,335 crore. The commercial or essential 1 kW segment, which includes small shops and establishments that depend on electricity for daily operations, is no exception. Here, 39,742 consumers who've never paid owe Rs 617 crore, and 1.33 lakh 'long-unpaid' consumers owe Rs 705 crore, taking the category's total to Rs 1,322 crore. While much smaller in absolute numbers than domestic slabs, this segment highlights that chronic non-payment extends across both household and small-business users. Across all slabs, the surcharge build-up is the single largest stress point. Against the total outstanding of Rs 55,980 crore, the principal component is Rs 31,205 crore, while surcharges alone account for a massive Rs 24,775 crore. This means almost half the accumulated burden on defaulters is not for electricity consumed but for penalties. "Despite launching one-time settlement schemes almost every year, UPPCL has not been able to make a dent in the stock of arrears. Each year begins with a higher starting base of unpaid dues, even as honest consumers continue to shoulder rising costs," said a senior energy department official. "This year's version of the scheme again offers a window for surcharge waiver and even the principal settlement, but the scale of the challenge is evident in the figures," a senior UPPCL said. "If just half of the eligible consumers opt for settlement, the corporation could realise between Rs 15,000 crore and Rs 20,000 crore that would ease its cash flow stress," the official noted....