BHUBANESWAR: Even as the Tata Power-owned distribution companies are persuading domestic consumers to install smart meters, the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) has asked the utilities to give priority on metering of distribution transformers and feeder lines instead, and report the progress in every quarter.
The directive of the commission to the four distribution companies - TPCODL, TPSODL, TPNODL and TPWODL - came during a recent review of their performance in reduction of distribution and transmission loss and measures taken by the discoms to address consumer complaints on unscheduled power cuts and frequent disruption in power supply.
It has come to the notice of OERC that metering of distribution transformers (DT), 33 kV and 11 kV feeder lines are progressing at an abysmally slow pace. As such metering allows for precise measurement of energy flow from feeders to consumers, facilitating accurate energy auditing and billing, the discoms do not want to provide insight into issues like low voltage, low power factor and voltage fluctuations.
The power distribution business is a joint venture between Tata Power with 51 per cent stake and the state government has 49 per cent share. The distribution utilities are pressing the government to allow them to install smart meter under capital expenditure (Capex) route to pass on the meter rent to the consumers through tariff.
In fact, an application the four discoms to OERC for approval of capital investment plan for installation of smart meters from 2025-26 to 2031-32 is pending for consideration. In their annual revenue requirement applications for 2025-26, the four discoms had made similar request to the regulator to allow smart metering under Capex.
While this was strongly objected by different consumer groups who demanded that the smart metering cost may be borne by either the state government or discoms from the profit, the state government in its response expressed its intents to provide capital subsidy/grant to the discoms in a phased manner for consumers with contract demand (CD) up to 2 kW towards installation of smart meters.
“Meter rent from such consumers (with CD up to 2 kW) may not be recovered to encourage speedy implementation of smart metering in the state. However, DT and feeder metering needs to be completed prior to installation of smart meter at consumer level,” the government said.
Consumers with CD up to 2 kW constitute about 87 per cent of the entire consumer base of around 95 lakhs which would be covered under capital grant for installation of smart meter while only 13 per cent of the consumer base will be left out, official sources said.