EESL has announced that it has signed a MoU with North Bihar Power Distribution (NBPDCL) & South Bihar Power Distribution Company (SBPDCL) to bring Smart Meters for 1.8 million consumers in Bihar. According to EESL this will enable more consumer satisfaction with better complaint management & faster restoration outages.
Under the MoUs, the smart meters will be installed within 1.5 years in a phased manner. The smart meters will enable 18 lakh consumers in 130 towns and adjacent rural areas of Bihar with real-time data tracking to help them optimise their consumption pattern & reduce energy bills.
Speaking on the occasion Power minister R K Singh said “Installation of smart meters will help in controlling power theft, ensure faster outage detection and swift restoration of service. In addition to this, consumers will be able to track their usage and pay their bills easily through mobile phone. It will enhance consumer satisfaction through better complaint management, system stability, reliability and transparency. Further, smart meters will help in monitoring round-the-clock power supply leading to greater efficiency and 24X7 power for all.”
The minister also said that smart meters will reduce AT&C losses, improve the financial health of power distribution companies DISCOMs.
Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director, EESL said “Thrust on such efficient systems is critical for consumption and growth in a sustainable manner. Smart meters will not just enable consumers to monitor their consumption pattern and the corresponding cost but also act as a pathway for newfound efficiencies by being a vital technology in India’s power sector reform.”
EESL will finance, build, own, operate, and transfer the smart metering (AMI) solution in the project area at the end of the agreement tenure, and will monetise its investment on monthly annuity basis.
EESL through Smart Meter National Programme (SMNP) aims to replace 250 million conventional meters in India with smart meters in a bid to improve billing efficiencies across the nation.