Nagpur: In a significant stride towards modernizing power distribution, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) is poised to launch prepaid smart electricity meters in Nagpur from March. This innovative initiative is part of the Central Government’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and aligns with the broader ‘Smart Meter National Programme’ aimed at enhancing energy management across the country.
MSEDCL has reported that a private firm has initiated a survey to facilitate the installation of these smart meters in Nagpur. Presently, the installation process is underway at critical locations such as sub-stations, feeders, and crossover points in Nagpur, with approximately 50% of the work already completed. Domestic consumers in Nagpur can anticipate the deployment of these smart meters starting March, as per MSEDCL.
The ambitious project aims to install over 57 lakh smart prepaid meters in the Nagpur region alone. These meters are engineered to automatically disconnect power supply upon depletion of the recharge amount, promoting efficient energy consumption. Under the RDSS, the Central Government has allocated a substantial budget of Rs 15,000 crore for the implementation of smart meters in Nagpur, Pune, Aurangabad, and the Konkan region of MSEDCL.
Tenders were floated to appoint Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) service providers for the project. MSEDCL outlined a phased approach to implementation, revealing that in the first phase this year, smart and prepaid meters would be installed for customers experiencing more than 15 percent technical and commercial losses. In the second phase, smart meters will be deployed in areas where power losses are less than 15 percent.
Emphasizing the advantages of smart meters, MSEDCL asserted that these devices would be linked to a mobile application, enabling users to monitor their power consumption online. The automated disconnection feature, triggered after the recharge amount is exhausted, is expected to mitigate pending power bills and act as a deterrent against power theft, ultimately contributing to enhanced revenue collection.
The introduction of prepaid smart meters in Nagpur represents a commendable leap towards a more technologically advanced and consumer-friendly power distribution system, aligning with the government’s vision for a smarter and more efficient energy infrastructure.
“This technology is not entirely new. Smart meters are already in use in foreign countries. We believe this will streamline the entire process, provide transparency to consumers, and contribute to the overall improvement of the power distribution system,” an official added. In September 2023, MSEDCL awarded a total of six tenders for the installation of smart meters.
The Adani Group secured two contracts, NCC Limited secured two, while Montecarlo Limited and Genus Power Infrastructures Limited each won one contract.
