30 lakh smart power meters to be installed

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 25

A meeting of the State Advisory Committee was held on Monday at the office of the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) in Panchkula over revenue requirement of distribution companies and tariff rates. It was informed that 30 lakh smart meters would be installed in the state soon.

HERC chairman Depinder Singh Dhesi chaired the meeting. Members Naresh Sardana and Pravindra Singh Chauhan were present. The meeting is mandatory after public hearing of annual revenue requirement petitions of the power utilities.

Dhesi first read the part of the Union Budget in which it was stated that all old meters in the country would be replaced by smart meters in the next three years. He sought the progress report on this from power distribution companies.

Former HERC chairman Raghbir Singh Chhilar talked about line losses of feeders. Former HERC chairman RN Prasher talked about HPGCL plants. The issue of separate tariff for agro industry and more concessions to industries were also raised.

Discom CMD Shatrujit Kapoor said there was a formula for line loss calculation. He said for the first time in Haryana, line losses of discoms had come down.

He said in view of the excellent performance of power distribution companies, Haryana was invited by the Government of India, on which a presentation had been made.

He informed that 10 lakh smart meters were being installed in the state. He said apart from this, efforts were on to install another 20 lakh smart meters.

Kapoor said the discoms had in principle agreed to give concession to the agro industry. He said it was important that electricity tariff had not increased in the last four years.

Mohammed Shayin, MD, HPGCL, said efforts were being made to ensure that paddy stubble was used in thermal plants.

On the topic of staff shortage in discoms, Kapoor said some Junior Engineers had joined recently and requirement of Group C employees would be met soon.

It was stated that HVPN officials were hearing appeals in case of electricity theft. A provision was being made that 20 per cent fine could be deposited at the time of the appeal, while was 50 per cent earlier.