Chandigarh says no to monthly bills for power consumption
Dushyant Singh Pundir
Chandigarh, March 2
Despite the directions of the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC), residents of the city will continue to get bimonthly electricity bills. The UT Electricity Department has submitted that the implementation of monthly billing for domestic and commercial category of consumers at this stage is not feasible.
The Commission had issued directions to the UT Electricity Department to implement the monthly billing system for domestic and commercial consumers in the city and to expedite the Smart Grid Pilot project, and submit the progress report within one month.
In its reply, the department has submitted that the Smart Grid project, which was launched in Subdivision 5, was about to be completed. “So far, 24,213 smart meters on consumers’ premises have been installed and commissioned. Also, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Centre for online operation and monitoring of various activities has been established,” stated the department.
However, due to privatisation of the Electricity Department in process, the Smart Grid project for pan city has been dropped by the National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM), Union Ministry of Power. Therefore, the implementation of monthly billing for domestic and commercial category of consumers at this stage is not feasible, submitted the department in a petition filed before the commission.
In the absence of employees and infrastructure, the monthly billing would be possible only after the installation of smart meters. At present, the consumers get electricity bills every two months.
After spending nearly Rs 28 crore on the installation of 24,213 smart meters in Division 5 of the Electricity Department, the Union Ministry of Power had shelved the project for the remaining parts of the city in October last year in view of the privatisation of the department.
The Central Government had approved Rs 241 crore in May, 2021, for the installation of smart meters in the city under the Smart Grid project, but the work on the pilot project could not be completed due to the Covid pandemic.
Under the project, more than 24,000 smart meters had been installed in Sectors 29, 31, 47 and 48, Faidan, Ram Darbar, Hallo Majra, Raipur Kalan, Makhan Majra and Daria villages, and Phases I and II, Industrial Area.
The administration had planned to replace all electricity meters with smart ones in the entire city by March this year.
With the installation of smart meters, the department does not need manual reading. Also, if someone tampers with a meter, the department immediately gets an alert.
The project was allotted to the government-owned Regional Electricity Corporation in 2018 and was to be completed by June, 2020. But, it got delayed due to the pandemic.
In August, 2021, Eminent Electricity Distribution Limited, a subsidiary of CESC Limited – the flagship company of RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group – had submitted the highest bid of Rs 871 crore. The amount was five times the reserve price of Rs 174 crore. Later, the Empowered Committee on privatisation of the UT Electricity Department gave its approval to the highest bid quoted by Eminent Electricity Distribution Limited.
However, on a petition filed by the UT Powermen Union, the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the process to privatise the functioning of the UT’s Electricity Department and the matter is sub judice.
About smart meters
With the installation of smart meters, the department does not need manual reading. Also, if someone tampers with a meter, the department immediately gets an alert.
Centre shelved project
After spending nearly Rs 28 crore on the installation of 24,213 smart meters in Division 5 of the Electricity Department, the Union Ministry of Power had shelved the project for the remaining parts of the city in October last year in view of the privatisation of the department.
Rs 241 crore
Approved by Centre for smart meter project in May 2021
Over 24,000
Smart meters installed in Sectors 29, 31, 47 and 48, Faidan, Ram Darbar, Hallo Majra, Raipur Kalan, Makhan Majra and Daria villages, and Phases I and II, Industrial Area.
