Power Ministry Clears Prepaid Electricity [See Notification]
The Ministry of Power recently issued a notification that announced new ‘Smart Mters’ for prepayment of electricity. The notification states that Smart Meters will be installed in all areas with defined AT&C losses.
The given timelines for installing Smart Meters are as follows:
The State Regulatory Commission has been given the discretion of allowing extensions to a certain class or classes of consumers or certain areas, through notification. For areas without communication network, installation of prepaid meters will be done by the State Regulatory Commission as well. In addition, all feeders and distribution transformers (DTs) will be provided with meters having AMR (automatic meter reading) facility or covered under AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure). Feeders will be fitted with Smart Meters by December 2022 and DTs by December 2023. DT’s and HVDS (High Voltage Distribution System) with capacity less than 2.5 kVA will be excluded from the above timelines. The Notification is as below:
The Electricity Amendment Bill, 2021 has caused agitation by farmers, labourers, and power sector workers, on grounds that it will make electricity unaffordable and exclude the economically marginalized. The opposition to this Bill is also based on a perception of states’ rights being encroached by the Centre since electricity is a concurrent topic.
- December 2023:
- All Union Territories
- Electrical divisions with 50% urban residents and where AT&C losses exceed 15% in FY 2019-20
- Other electrical divisions with AT&C losses more than 25% in FY 2019-20
- All Block-level government offices
- All industrial and commercial users
- March 2025: All other areas
The State Regulatory Commission has been given the discretion of allowing extensions to a certain class or classes of consumers or certain areas, through notification. For areas without communication network, installation of prepaid meters will be done by the State Regulatory Commission as well. In addition, all feeders and distribution transformers (DTs) will be provided with meters having AMR (automatic meter reading) facility or covered under AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure). Feeders will be fitted with Smart Meters by December 2022 and DTs by December 2023. DT’s and HVDS (High Voltage Distribution System) with capacity less than 2.5 kVA will be excluded from the above timelines. The Notification is as below:
The Electricity Amendment Bill, 2021 has caused agitation by farmers, labourers, and power sector workers, on grounds that it will make electricity unaffordable and exclude the economically marginalized. The opposition to this Bill is also based on a perception of states’ rights being encroached by the Centre since electricity is a concurrent topic.
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