CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation (TNPDC) has ordered 12 lakh single-phase meters from six private suppliers to address the rising demand for electricity meters. The new meters are expected to arrive in phases, with the entire batch to be delivered by December.
A senior TNPDC official told TNIE, “The corporation, which serves over 2.7 crore domestic consumers and around 40 lakh commercial consumers, has a continuous demand for new meters. With such a large customer base, we need a steady supply of meters to ensure accurate billing and uninterrupted service.”
The official said that since there are limited suppliers in South India, TNPDC is procuring these meters from companies in the north, which has led to minor delivery delays.
Currently, there are around 2 lakh single-phase meters and 1 lakh three-phase meters that are waiting to be replaced due to defects.
The official pointed out that until these faulty meters are replaced, some consumers may continue to be billed based on previous average usage, potentially leading to revenue loss for TNPDC. “Once smart meters are introduced for all consumers, it will help resolve complaints related to defective meters,” the official said.
Another TNPDC official noted that reaching every consumer’s doorstep to replace defective meters immediately is a challenge. “To ease the process, we recently advised consumers to purchase new meters from registered vendors, if needed. This is an additional option, and consumers must inform the local TNPDC office before installing the new meters,” the official added.