PNS | DEHRADUN
The Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) has taken a target to replace existing meters of 15,88,000 consumers in the State with smart meters till June 2026. The distribution corporation also intends to install smart meters on 59,212 transformers and 2602 feeders across the State.
The Power secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram said that the corporation has started the process of installation of smart meters from the feeders and transformers and till date 91 per cent of the feeders have been covered with these meters.
Allaying the misconceptions about the smart meters, Sundaram claimed that these meters will bring in a dramatic reduction in the consumer complaints regarding meter reading and billing. He said that the existing meters will be replaced with smart meters without taking any charge from consumers.
He said that the smart meter is a very advanced device and its control is in the hands of the consumer. It provides minute to minute information about power usage. The secretary said that the smart meter project is a national programme funded by the revamped distribution sector scheme (RDSS) of the government of India. It will also remove human interference in the billing process. The fault complaints will be auto generated and they will be addressed early.
He clarified that initially only postpaid smart meters are being installed and the pre-paid meters will be installed only after taking consent of the consumer. Sundaram added that a four per cent rebate will be given to the consumers on the bill amount if they shift to a pre-paid system of bill payment.
He said that on the orders of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami the smart meters will be installed at the residences of all the officers of State administration and UPCL.
