VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that the installation of smart electricity meters has several benefits, Special Chief Secretary (Energy) K Vijayanand said the Rs 4,000 crore, the State government is spending on smart meters to agriculture pump sets, can be recovered in two years in the form of savings in power consumption.
Apart from getting a survey conducted by an agency in Srikakulam district, where the installation of smart meters was taken up on a pilot basis, the energy department also conducted a survey on consumption of electricity. The agency survey found 20% power savings, while the department survey finding was 33%, he explained.
“Consumption of electricity by agriculture pump sets is 12,000 MU and we can save 2,400 MU to 3,600 MU going by the survey findings and you can save Rs 1,900 crore to Rs 3,600 crore a year,” he said.
At least Rs 2,000 crore will be saved in the worst case and the Rs 4,000 crore spent by the government will be recovered within two years, the Energy Secretary elaborated.
Speaking to mediapersons at Vidyut Soudha here on Tuesday, Vijayanand explained the technology and benefits with usage of smart meters and also the reasons why other kind of meters were not used.
He said there will be no intervention of people to take the reading with smart meters as it will be noted by software. Details of the power consumption for agriculture sector can be known on a real time basis at anytime.
Stating that the Centre issued guidelines to replace all the electricity meters with smart meters by March, 2025, under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), the Energy Secretarysaid the government issued orders in 2020 to provide smart meters to around 18.56 lakh agriculture pump sets in the State.
Apart from giving Rs 900 to each meter as grant, the Centre will also give another Rs 450 as additional grant.In addition, allied material with safety standards will also be given to avert fatal accidents because of electricity short circuit.
On the request of the State government, the Centre has agreed to provide 60% grant for supplying allied material, he added.Vijayanand further said the smart meters will come in handy in power grid management, besides streamlining consumption.APTransco CMD and APGenco MD B Sreedhar, APSPDCL CMD J Padma Janardhan Reddy and other officials were present.
Grant for meters
Apart from giving Rs 900 to each meter as grant, the Centre will also provide another Rs 450 as additional grant. Apart from smart meters, allied material with safety standards will also be given to avert fatal accidents because of short circuit. On the request of the State government, the Centre has agreed to give 60% grant for supplying allied material