Smart meter mandate troubles industrialists

Industrialists in Ludhiana are expressing frustration after receiving notices from the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) mandating the installation of smart meters for factories with a load above 100 KW. Several notices have been issued recently to industrial unit owners in the city. This comes despite the PSPCL’s failure to fulfil its earlier promise of installing smart meters for those who had consented during initial rounds of the programme.

Gurmit Singh Kular, the president of the Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisation (FICO), told The Tribune, “There is no benefit or need for these meters. If PSPCL decided to install them and we had already agreed, why has the department not followed through? I personally consented, but the process was never initiated. Now, after failing to honour its promise, PSPCL is issuing notices to owners who never agreed to the scheme.”

Badish Jindal, president of the All Industries Trade Forum, criticised the move, saying industrialists would gain no advantage from the smart meters. “The department wants us to pay for these meters while it reaps all the benefits. If the installation is necessary, the department should bear the cost,” Jindal said.

Raghav Jain, another industrialist, pointed out the high cost of the meters, noting that while a normal meter costs only a few thousand rupees, a smart meter can cost around Rs 2.5 lakh. “I have two units, so I’d have to pay Rs 5 lakh for the department’s convenience,” he said.

In response, PSPCL Director (Distribution) D.S. Grewal explained that power quality meters are essential for power-intensive units to monitor harmonic distortions affecting power quality. He added that the installation was in compliance with directions from the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC).