Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Bihar, Assam and Chhattisgarh are among the frontrunners in the installation of smart electricity meters that provide consumers with near real-time consumption data through mobile applications, along with the convenience of recharge and historical usage graphs for optimisation.According to data tabled by minister of state for power Shripad Naik in Rajya Sabha on Monday, nearly 5.3 crore smart meters have been installed across the country under various schemes till Dec 2025, with Bihar covering over 86% of consumers, Assam 73% and Chhattisgarh 54%. The Centre launched the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) in July 2021 to help states and Union Territories improve the operational efficiency and financial sustainability of distribution utilities and provide quality and reliable power supply. Smart metering of consumers, distribution transformers and feeders was one of the key initiatives under the scheme.In his written reply, Naik said smart metering under RDSS was sanctioned for 45 distribution utilities in 28 states and UTs, covering 19.8 crore consumers, besides over 54.5 lakh distribution transformers and feeders. While 3.9 crore smart meters have been installed under RDSS, states and UTs also ran their respective schemes simultaneously, taking the total number to about 5.3 crore.States that are still lagging behind include Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, among others.Prepaid smart meters also help power distribution companies make advance revenue collections, resulting in improved efficiency, reduced receivables and enhanced cash flow. The minister said smart metering implementation also contributed, along with other measures, to bring down aggregate technical and commercial losses from 21.9% in FY2021 to 15% in FY2025.
