R K Singh Stresses on Implementation of Smart Metering in Pre-paid Mode

Union Power Minister R K Singh has stressed on implementation of smart metering in pre-paid mode.

The Review Planning & Monitoring (RPM) meeting with States and State Power Utilities was held on 23rd & 24th January 2023 at New Delhi, under the chairmanship of Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy Shri R. K. Singh, in the presence of Shri Krishan Pal, Minister of State for Power and Secretary (Power).

The Minister stressed on the need to address inefficiencies in distribution sector with priority on reduction of losses, maintaining proper subsidy accounts, energy accounting and to ensure prepaid smart metering implementation to enhance revenue realization and thereby avoiding undesirable borrowings. Various aspects related to financial viability of power sector and issues related to fiscal discipline and payment of dues towards GENCOs were also deliberated.

The Minister also emphasized the importance of implementing Time of Day (ToD) tariff to ensure flattening of load curves while ensuring that tariff for solar hours be kept reasonable.

During the meeting, status of Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) launched by Government of India to enhance operation efficiency to ensure financial viability of the distribution sector was discussed and state wise progress of the scheme was deliberated in detail.

The Minister reviewed state wise performance of DISCOMs/Power Departments, compliance to Pre-Qualification Criteria under RDSS, Progress on RDSS implementation and other key elements including subsidy and energy accounting, corporate governance etc.

The Minister laid importance on implementation of smart metering in pre-paid mode. The states have been advised to expedite the implementation of scheme. The states were further advised to ensure that no penalty be levied on any consumer for higher load discovered after installation of prepaid smart meter and billing may be done on actual load basis.

The Minister also highlighted the benefits of solarization of agriculture feeders as it will provide power, at lower cost, during the daytime to agriculture consumers and reduce subsidy burden of the state government.