Bihar and Assam are today the leading states with respect to actual installations of consumer smart meters, official statistics suggest.
According to the National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM) portal, Bihar is currently the leading state with respect to consumer smart meters actually installed, as of May 28, 2024. This eastern state, as of given date, had 31.10 lakh meters installed, accounting for nearly 28 per cent of the total consumer smart meters installed all over the country, as of given date. (See table)
In Bihar, a total of 1.72 crore consumer smart meters have been sanctioned out of which 1.37 crore have been awarded. Smart metering in Bihar is taking place through the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) as well as through non-RDSS utility-owned projects.
Under RDSS, 23.5 lakh consumer smart meters have been sanctioned in Bihar, and all of them have been awarded. Entities like EESL, Adani Energy Solutions, Genus Power and Secure Meters are carrying out smart meter deployment in the capacity of Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Providers (AMISP). Around 16 lakh consumer smart meters were installed in Bihar under RDSS, as of March 28, 2024.
The biggest smart metering project in Bihar is being implemented by North Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd (NBPDCL). This non-RDSS programme, initiated in November 2022, envisages in the rollout of 1.03 crore consumer smart meters. Secure Meters, the project implementing agency, had installed 11.16 lakh consumer smart meters, as of May 28, 2024.
Assam
In this northeastern state, around 67.35 lakh smart meters have been sanctioned, mainly under RDSS. Significantly, all of these have been awarded. With 31.10 lakh consumer smart meters already installed as of May 28, 2024, the deployment ratio is around 18 per cent.
There are around six packages under which smart metering being carried out in Assam. The biggest is an RDSS-package of Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL). Envisaging 57.45 lakh consumer smart meters, deployment for this package began in October 2023 with AMISPs like Genus Power and Apraava Energy involved. As of May 28, 2024, around 11 lakh smart meters were installed under this package.
Well accepted
According to Jitendra Kumar Agarwal, Joint Managing Director, Genus Power Infrastructures Ltd, consumers have been very supportive towards smart meter installations, especially in Assam and Bihar. Agarwal said this during a recent investor call. Genus Power is actively involved in India’s smart metering activities, including Assam and Bihar, and had an order book of over Rs.21,000 crore, as of March 31, 2024. Genus Power is an AMISP and is also supplying smart meters to other vendors.
On the other hand, according to reliable media reports, there have been several complaints by consumers regarding new prepaid smart meters installed in Gujarat. Strong protests were recently seen emerging in cities like Vadodara, Rajkot and Jamnagar, owing to a big surge in electricity bills after installation of smart meters.
However, it must be acknowledged that it is still early days for smart metering in Gujarat and these disputes could only be teething troubles. This western state has so far seen the deployment of just around 78,300 consumer smart meters, including around 27,000 installed as recently as in May 2024. Overall, Gujarat has 1.65 crore consumer smart meters sanctioned, out of which awards for 1.08 crore have been placed so far.
Overall Status
As of March 28, 2024, a total of 22.23 crore consumer smart meters were sanctioned across all states and Union territories. The share of smart meters under RDSS stood at 88 per cent. The number of smart meters awarded stood at 11.63 crore whereas the actual installations, as of given date, were 1.12 crore. The top three states in terms of consumer smart meters installed – Bihar, Assam and Uttar Pradesh – accounted for 57 per cent of India’s total. In terms of consumer smart meters sanctioned, the three leading states are Uttar Pradesh (3.10 crore), Tamil Nadu (3.01 crore) and Maharashtra (2.36 crore).
Also read: Bihar Signs Agreement With REC For Power Distribution Revamp
Featured photograph (source: Tata Power DDL) is for representation only
