MADURAI: A RTI query revealed that around 66,933 digital electric meters turned defective in Madurai city over the last four years between January 2021 and January 2025. Activist claimed that the sub-standard quality of the installed meters caused the defect.
According to an RTI query, of the 66,933 digital electric meters, 49,573 meters were single-phase (domestic), 16,875 were three-phase (domestic), 485 were three-phase (commercial).
Speaking to TNIE, RTI Activist NG Mohan said, "The number of defective meters tells us about the effectiveness and quality of the meters. Mostly, single and three-phase meters turned defective, underlining the fact that power connections and power lines from transformers are not regulated by Tangedco.
Hence, we seek audits in all these categories. Inside the city, almost all localities are residential settlements. Tangedco can monitor the flow of power consumption, and most of the defective meters are under the domestic (non-commercial segment). Only a total of 485 meters have turned defective in four years in the commercial category."
A top official from Tangedco (Madurai) said, "There are several reasons behind defective meters. If a local electrician after installing the meter distributes power from lines into the house with three terminals instead of six or seven, excess consumption from a particular terminal causes it to melt and turn defective.
When it comes to the commercial category, there are no single-phase connections. Three-phase connections are installed for hospitals, and small industrial units, which are below 112 KV. Since these are monitored by industrial electricians and facility administrators, the load consumption mostly matches. Hence, the defective meters are less in number, when compared to domestic ones. Besides, there could be manufacturing defects in the meter itself."