In an attempt to cut transmission and distribution losses, the Central government has planned to make all electricity meters smart prepaid across all states in three years starting 1 April 2019.
The government released an official statement which said that the move is a pro-poor step as it will not be compulsory for the consumers to pay the whole month’s bill in one go, they can pay as per their requirements.
The move by the Power Ministry will bring a revolution in the power sector by significantly reducing AT&C losses. Also, the government claims that this would improve the health of DISCOMs and incentivize energy conservation. It would also ease the process of bill payments and help the consumers get rid of the paper bills.
The manufacturing of smart prepaid meters will generate skilled employment for the youth of the country.
The Union Minister of State for Power and Renewable energy, R K Singh told the media that the ministry is pushing for net metering. He added that most DISCOMs outsourced the meters as a result of which there were constant complaints about inflated bills.
The Smart meters measure and record electricity usage at different times of the day and send the recorded information to the energy supplier.
The consumers, therefore, get better access to information and can make more informed decisions on the usage of electricity. This will lead to reduced power wastage, and eventually long-term carbon and financial savings.