Nagpur: In a major shift toward data-driven power management, Maharashtra has surged to the top spot nationally with 87.57 lakh smart meters installed as of February 10. Of these, 85.85 lakh meters have been deployed by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), underscoring the utility’s dominant role in the state’s transition to digital metering.
The announcement was made by MSEDCL Chairman and Managing Director Lokesh Chandra, who credited the state’s energy reforms under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for pushing Maharashtra to the forefront of power-sector modernization. The state had earlier led in solar agricultural pump installations and has now extended that leadership into smart metering.
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Maharashtra vs other states
As per the latest figures:
• Maharashtra: 87.57 lakh smart meters
• Bihar: 86.44 lakh
• Uttar Pradesh: 82.75 lakh
With this, Maharashtra ranks first in the country in smart meter deployment.
Rs 1,564 crore in Time-of-Day (TOD) benefits
One of the most significant outcomes of smart metering has been the rollout of Time-of-Day (TOD) tariff concessions, allowing consumers to benefit from lower tariffs during specific hours.
Between July 2025 and January 2026 (7 months):
Domestic consumers
• 54.42 lakh households benefited
• Total concession: Rs 51.42 crore
Low-Tension (LT) Category Consumers
• Industrial: Rs 106.89 crore
• Commercial: Rs 43.03 crore
• Public Water Works: Rs 7.30 crore
• Other LT consumers: Rs 6.70 crore
• Total LT benefit: Rs 215 crore
High-Tension (HT) consumers
• Total TOD benefit: Rs 1,349 crore
• Of which HT industrial consumers received: Rs 1,105 crore
Total TOD relief across categories: Rs 1,564 crore
For domestic users, MSEDCL is offering a discount of 80 paise per unit between 9 am and 5 pm, encouraging electricity use during solar hours when supply is abundant.
Free Installation, real-time monitoring
Smart meters are being installed free of cost. Key features include:
• 100% accurate billing through automatic recording
• Hourly consumption tracking via mobile app
• Advance planning of appliance usage during concessional tariff periods
• Better consumption control
MSEDCL has appealed to consumers with smart meters to download the official app and actively monitor their hourly electricity usage.
Billing complaints drop to 0.5%
Officials highlighted that billing disputes have significantly reduced. The rate of billing complaints in Maharashtra has dropped to just 0.5%, countering allegations that smart meters inflate bills.
There were also concerns that smart meters might lead to higher tariffs. However, after the rollout began, MSEDCL filed a petition before the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) seeking approval for a reduction in power tariffs under the upcoming five-year tariff framework, a move aimed at easing consumer burden rather than increasing it.
System-wide digitisation: Beyond households
The transformation is not limited to consumers:
•30,164 electricity feeders equipped with smart meters
• 2.80 lakh distribution transformers brought under smart monitoring
This enables:
• Accurate load pattern analysis
• Reduction in distribution losses
• Effective energy audits
• Improved demand forecasting and supply planning
Officials say future tariff discounts will increasingly depend on precise time-based consumption data captured through smart meters, making the technology central to Maharashtra’s long-term energy strategy.
Awareness drive underway
The state is observing a Smart Meter Awareness Fortnight from February 9 to 23, aimed at educating consumers about usage benefits and digital monitoring tools.
With financial savings already crossing Rs 1,500 crore in TOD benefits and billing disputes declining sharply, Maharashtra’s smart meter push is being projected as both a consumer-centric reform and a structural upgrade of the state’s power distribution system.
