Customers residing in areas like Delhi can recharge the meter by online and offline methods, in the same way as a mobile charge.
Recently, a notification has been issued by the Central Government asking to install prepaid smart electric meters up to 100 percent in the cities of India. In cities where AT&C (Aggregate Technical and Commercial) loss is more than 15 percent in the year 2019-2020, the deadline for installing prepaid smart meters has been fixed till December 2023. Pre-paid meters will be installed in all areas by March 2025. The first target has been fixed for those areas where the loss of higher transmission is high.
Recharge like mobile
In a prepaid smart electric meter, when the electricity usage exceeds the pre-paid amount, the electricity supply is automatically cut off. It works just like any prepaid mobile number. The way an alert is sent when the balance in your phone is low, in the same way an alert will be sent to you. After this alert you will need to recharge your meter. This recharge will either be automatic or manually.
Customers residing in areas like Delhi can recharge the meter by online and offline methods, in the same way as a mobile charge. Business organizations in Delhi are already using electric smart meters.
The tenants residing in Delhi for the last two years are free to choose the pre-paid meter which is charged online. Due to this rule, it helps to avoid disputes between the tenant and the landlord due to the electricity bill.
The biggest challenge of prepaid meters
The biggest problem with pre-paid smart meters is its cost. Such meters are 4 to 5 times more expensive than other meters. Under the scheme of the Delhi government, the use of 200 units of electricity to the customers every month has been made completely free. Small customers may face difficulties in getting expensive meters installed. But once this scheme is implemented, then customers will have a chance to buy meters manufactured by other companies along with Genus, L&T and L&G.
If new meters start being installed on a large scale, then it may be that old companies will also start preparing prepaid meters. According to the data given by the Union Ministry of Power, the loss of 67.7 percent in Jammu and Kashmir, 40.45 percent in Chhattisgarh, 26.31 percent in Madhya Pradesh, 24.89 percent in Uttar Pradesh, 20.76 percent in Maharashtra, 20.47 percent in Rajasthan. In India, 19.39 percent loss has been recorded in Andhra Pradesh and 18.99 percent in Punjab. The government order means that all these places should have prepaid smart meters installed by December 2023.
What is the government’s plan
Under the Saubhagya scheme, preparations have been made to provide electricity connection to the entire country. Information about this has been given by the government in Parliament on March 21, 2021. The government had said that all the states have told about electrification up to 100 percent. Power transmission losses have already been reduced to 15 per cent in big cities and they will not switch to smart meters immediately.
How to stop electricity theft
Electricity demand in Delhi has increased by 250 percent. If we talk about the whole country, then the AT&C loss has come down to 7.5 percent, whereas in the year 2002 this figure was up to 55 percent. According to experts, the plan received for the prepaid scheme in the telecom sector has given inspiration to the power sector. The principle which was adopted in the telecom sector, now the same is being implemented in this sector as well. With this the theft of electricity will also be stopped and it will also be successful in bringing it to zero.
