Smart Meters

Homegrown smart metering firm Gram Power is eyeing a multi-fold growth in topline in the current fiscal as it is set to ramp up the manufacturing capacity to 10 million units per annum, according to a top company official. "We have set up a manufacturing unit with a capacity of up to 3 million smart meters per year, and we aim to ramp up production to 10 million meters in the next 12-15 months to meet the growing demand for smart metering systems in the country," Yashraj Khaitan, Founder and CEO of Gram Power, told PTI. With the capacity expansion, Gram Power is eyeing about 10 per cent of the country's 300 million metering market over the next five years. Khaitan said that that once the additional capacity is functional, Gram Power's topline turnover will increase by 20 times in 2023-24. However, he did not disclose specific financial details. Recently, the company raised USD 100 million from I Squared Capital for capacity expansion works. Under the Smart Meter National Programm

Union Power Minister R K Singh on Monday urged electricity consumers to use smart prepaid meters, saying the device helps users bring down power cost by up to 2 per cent. Installation of smart prepaid meters reduces the operational and finance cost for electricity suppliers as consumers credit their account in advance, the minister said while releasing the 'Enabling a consumer-centric Smart Metering Transition in India' report here. "If you have a smart prepaid meter, your cost of electricity will come down by 2-2.5 per cent and the consumer gains (at benefit)," Singh said. Usage of smart meters will lead to digitisation of systems, automation and further efficiencies. It will help in energy accounting, which helps in identifying the areas which need attention. "Energy accounting system...is another challenge which we are still tackling," he said. According to the findings of the report released, the users of smart prepaid meters are having better experiences compared to conventio

The Andhra Pradesh government will install as many as 18 lakh smart meters on farm electric motors within a year, including spending Rs 4,000 core to procure allied material, said an official. The state will follow the guidelines issued by the Central Government and Central Electricity Authority (CEA), even as these smart meters are aimed at arresting power theft among several other benefits, he said. The official highlighted that farmers do not have any doubts over them and asserted that the government has received their stamp of approval. "Nearly 16.5 lakh farmers have extended support to smart meters and the government will bear the cost of installing them," K Vijayanand, special chief secretary, Energy Department, said in a statement on Tuesday night. He noted that the Centre will give a grant of Rs 1,600 crore for the smart meters and allied materials while a pilot project under this scheme tested in Srikakulam district had succeeded with only 6.6 per cent out of the 29,000 ..

UP discoms - including Madhyanchal, Dakshinanchal, Purvanchal and Paschimanchal - representing different regions, had floated tenders for the supply of more than 25 million smart meters

Adani Transmission has formed a subsidiary, BEST Smart Metering Ltd (BSML), to undertake the smart meter business. BSML is incorporated in India and registered with the Registrar of Companies, Gujarat at Ahmedabad on 27th December 2022 and is yet to commence its business operations, a BSE filing stated. "Company has incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary company in the name of BEST Smart Metering Ltd," a BSE filing stated. Adani Transmission has the 100 per cent equity of Rs 1 lakh divided into 10,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each. This assumes significance in view of Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) launched by the government to help DISCOMs improve their operational efficiencies and financial sustainability by providing result-linked financial assistance to them to strengthen supply infrastructure based on meeting pre-qualifying criteria and achieving basic minimum benchmarks. Under the RDSS, Prepaid Smart metering is the critical intervention envisaged, with an estimate

There seems to be an awareness that not just Chinese meters but even domestic meters being installed at points of consumption are vulnerable and need to be secured against hacking

Since the quality control order 3 years ago, toy import down 70 per cent

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is considering to come out with quality control norms for certain more products such as ceiling fan and smart power meter with a view to containing imports and production of sub-standard products in the country, an official said. Earlier the department has rolled out these quality control orders (QCO) for a host of goods such as household refrigerating appliances, certain steel and cable items, toys, and bicycles' retro reflective devices. "We are identifying more products. We are thinking of QCOs for ceiling fans and smart meters," the official added. The items, under these orders, cannot be produced, sold/traded, imported and stocked unless they bear the BIS mark. The move comes at a time when the government is working to formulate technical regulations, which include safety and quality standards, for different products with a view to cutting imports of those non-essential items.

The government on Thursday asked smart meter makers to bring down the cost of the device to make it more affordable. Power Secretary Alok Kumar said safety, quality and design should be the key parameters for manufacturing of smart meters. "I urge the manufacturers to think of innovative ways to reduce the price of the meters to half without compromising on quality. We have improved the loss reduction aspect and are working on the expansion of RDSS scheme and smart distribution," Kumar said while addressing industry body IEEMA's '9th Metering India 2022' event here. Besides, IEEMA should focus on capacity building of the utilities and finding opportunities to change conventional meters into smart meters with sustainable disposing option, he said. As per industry estimates, a smart meter costs around USD 50, including manufacturing and installation charges. Around 25 crore smart prepaid metres are to be installed by March 2025 under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) at

These smart meters will be installed in the areas of four of the five power distribution companies of UP, namely PuVNL, PVVNL, DVVNL and MVVNL.

State-owned Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) on Monday announced it has installed over 30 lakh smart prepaid meters across five states and union territory Andaman and Nicobar under its Smart Meter National Programme. EESL has completed the installation of over 10.5 lakh smart meters in Bihar, 11.57 lakh smart meters in Uttar Pradesh, 1.24 lakh in Rajasthan, 5.3 lakh in Haryana, around 64,000 in NDMC area of Delhi and 74,000 smart meters in Andaman and Nicobar, the company said in a statement. "The company has agreements with the state-designated agencies and utilities in these regions for the large-scale deployment of smart meters. EESL further aims to install a total of over 47 lakh smart meters by December 2023," it said. These smart meters optimise the operational performance of power distribution companies (DISCOMs) by increasing the billing and collection efficiency, reducing the operation and maintenance cost, and enhancing the quality of service, EESL said. "EESL is

The first phase of the tender is for procurement of 25 lakh meters which would be installed in states in the Central and Western region of the country

HPL Electric & Power on Tuesday said it has won an order worth Rs 178.9 crore for supplying smart meters. The order has been received from the largest private utility of a state in eastern India, it said in a BSE filing. This further strengthens HPL Electric & Power's leadership position in smart meter manufacturing sector across the Indian market, it added. At a time when reports of power shortages are making headlines, smart meters will definitely reduce distribution losses, remove theft and pilferage of power. "This is a big win for us, fortifying our leadership position in smart meter technology once again," the company's Joint Managing Director Gautam Seth said. "At a time when country is facing several challenges due to the present scenario, this project comes at a crucial juncture when Indian government has earmarked a sum of Rs 22,500 crore as the central government grant for the installation of 25 crore smart prepaid meters across the country under the Rs 3-lakh-crore

The Ministry of Power on Thursday provided timelines for replacing existing electricity meters with smart meters with pre-payment feature in government offices, commercial establishments and industrial units, among others. According to a notification issued by the ministry on Thursday, all consumers (other than agricultural users) in areas with communication network shall be supplied electricity with smart meters working in pre-payment mode. All union territories, electrical divisions having more than 50 per cent consumers in urban areas with AT&C (aggregate technical and commercial) losses more than 15 per cent in 2019-20, other electrical divisions with AT&C losses more than 25 per cent in FY20, all government offices at block level and above, and all industrial and commercial consumers shall be metered with smart meters by December 2023. However, it provided that the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions may extend the period of implementation, after giving reasons, ...

The power ministry has advised all central ministries and departments to switch to pre-paid smart electricity meters. "The Ministry of Power has issued an advisory to all central ministries of the government to direct organisations under their administrative control to ensure switch over to prepaid smart meters on priority," a power ministry statement said. As part of the same process, the ministries have also been asked to issue all enabling orders in this regard. This follows a clarification issued by the Ministry of Finance enabling all central ministries and central departments to make advance payments for pre-paid metered electricity without insisting on any bank guarantees, while at the same time ensuring proper accounting arrangements, it stated. Prepaid smart metering in all government departments would not only go a long way in ensuring the commitment of the government in bringing DISCOMs back on the path of financial sustainability, promotion of energy efficiency but woul

AEML will increase renewable energy supply as part of Adani Group's commitment to lower carbon footprint, says Kandarp Patel.

The rise of Internet of Things (IoT)-based meters is attempting to bring accountability in a poorly regulated sector

While the Act currently has a consumer charter, the latest draft empowers users and has introduced new supply rights for them

India's traditional power metering system is inadequate, resulting in MBC (metering, billing and collection) inefficiencies, high commercial losses and revenue leakages, Crisil Ratings said

The Covid-19 crisis is also an opportunity for accelerating the rollout and adoption of smart metering