HYDERABAD: The Central Power Distribution Company Limited (APCPDCL) is introducing a new system of meter reading based on radio frequencies (RF Meters) as a measure towards ‘Advance Metering infrastructure for incorporating certain improvements in the present meter reading and billing cycle and accessibility of door locks in remote locations such as rural/agricultural zones'.
MT Krishna Babu, chairman and managing director of CPDCL, says that there will be no scope for meter readers to commit errors while recording the readings. Besides, it will reduce the metering and billing cycles.
Reading of meters in the industrial areas also can be done from a centralized location.
As a pilot project, CPDCL is introducing the new meters with radio frequency technology in certain areas under the Greenlands Sub-division of Hyderabad North Operation Circle. Depending on its success, the RF meters will be introduced in other high-loss areas and VIP zones in the capital and gradually in all areas under the jurisdiction of APCPDC.
The new meter-reading system will reduce the necessity of the staff entering into the consumer’s premises and disturb them while taking readings as the meters will automatically generate the readings upon receiving radio signals from the transreceiver encapsulated in the Spot Billing Machine (SBM).
The hand-held Spot Billing Machine will use radio frequencies to draw the readings, once the reader enters its pre-designated geographical range. Each hand-held device will be assigned with around 3,000 meters grouped according to their geographical location. The devices would already have a database of meter IDs and service numbers.
Once the meter-reader enters the area and sends out a request, the meters will start generating the readings automatically.