29 lakh smart meters to be installed in Pune by MSEDCL 

In view of the rapid industrial development of the state and the resulting urbanization, an improved power distribution plan will be implemented for strengthening the electricity system through MSEDCL for proper planning of electricity demand in the future, to ensure accident-free and quality electricity supply to consumers. For the same, 29 lakh Smart Meters will be installed in Pune.

As per further information shared by MSEDCL, preparations have started for installation of prepaid smart meters across the state, which will give power consumers the right to determine the cost of electricity consumption as per their choice and these meters will be operational in a phased manner in a few months.

Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Devendra Fadnavis has instructed to provide quality and customer oriented service to electricity consumers. Accordingly, Mahavitaran has taken the important step of installing prepaid smart meters that give customers complete control over the cost of electricity. The tender process for installation of new smart meters has been completed and soon these prepaid meters will be installed to the customers.

The existing conventional meters of 2 crore 41 lakh consumers of Mahavitaran in the state will be replaced and prepaid smart meters will be installed instead. In this, about 29 lakh prepaid smart meters will be installed in Velhe, Haveli, Mulshi, Ambegaon, Junnar, Khed, Maval talukas along with Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad cities under Pune circle.

After installing a smart meter, electricity consumers will use electricity by paying for electricity like a mobile phone. Consumers can decide how much to spend on electricity. The customer will get the information about how much electricity has been consumed regularly on the mobile phone. Therefore, customers will know how much money is left out of the paid amount and how much electricity should be used according to the financial planning.

Importantly, customers will get a new prepaid smart meter for free. The cost of these meters will be met from the subsidy received from the central government and by the Mahavitaran. In the present system, the meter reading is taken every month after electricity consumers have consumed electricity and the bill is sent accordingly.

If a customer consumes more electricity than usual, the bill will be huge and this will spoil the financial planning of the customer. As electricity is consumed, there is no option but to pay the bill. But in the case of the new prepaid smart meter, since the electricity consumer will use the  electricity by paying in advance, the electricity expenditure can be fully controlled by the consumers by planning.

When the prepaid smart meter runs out of money paid by the customer, the electricity supply will be interrupted. But since customers already know their electricity consumption on their mobiles and also know how much money is left, it will be easier to make new payments. There is also the facility of online payment from the mobile phone sitting at home. There is a system to send a message to the customer’s mobile phone when the money runs out.

If a customer runs out of electricity bill at midnight, the electricity supply will not be cut suddenly at night. Even if the money runs out between 6 pm and 10 am, the electricity supply will continue. A facility is made in this meter that the concerned customer should continue the electricity supply by paying till 10 am the next day and after the money is exhausted, the amount of electricity used will be deducted in this meter.

Shreyas Vange