The total number of smart meter installed in the country has crossed the 4-million mark, according to official government statistics.
Statistics released by the National Smart Grid Mission (under the Union power ministry) suggest that the total number of smart meters installed in the country, as of around April 22, 2022, stood at 41,91,927 (around 42 lakh or 4.2 million).
As of the given date, the total number of smart meters sanctioned stood at around 11.25 million, implying a deployment rate (meters installed as a percentage of meters sanctioned) of 37.3 per cent.
As of April 22, 2022, the number of smart meters in stock (and ready for deployment) stood at around 4 lakh.
Smart meters are currently installed under various Centrally-sponsored schemes like DDUGJY (Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana), IPDS (Integrated Power Development Scheme), NSGM (National Smart Grid Mission), PMDP (Prime Minister’s Development Package) and Smart Grid pilot projects. Apart from these power distribution utilities (both state government and private) are carrying out smart meter installations.
The nodal agencies involved for Centrally-sponsored smart meter initiatives include EESL (Energy Efficiency Services Ltd), PFCCL (PFC Consulting Ltd) and RECPDCL (REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd).
Here are some highlights of the smart metering phenomenon in India, as of April 22, 2022.
- EESL has to its credit the highest number of smart meters installed (at 2.52 million) accounting for a national market share of 60 per cent. Utilities (largely government but also including private ones) came next with a share of 36.2 per cent.
- Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of smart meter installations, standing at 1.15 million, accounting for a 27.5 per cent share in the national total.
- States following Uttar Pradesh were Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. The top five states together accounted for nearly 75 per cent of the total nationwide installations.
- Around 71 per cent of the total smart meter installations were by utilities. Another 20 per cent fell under IPDS.
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Prepaid meters
The above discussion includes both conventional (postpaid) and prepaid meters. Of the total 4.2 million smart meters, 0.81 million (or 20 per cent of the total) were of the prepaid kind. Prepaid meters have so far been deployed only in Assam and Bihar, statistics indicate.
Featured photograph for illustration only
