Meter-testing labs to be revamped across Haryana

Nitish Sharma

Ambala, August 9

To increase the meter-testing capacity and to replace old equipment, the power department in Haryana is all set to revamp its laboratories under the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN).

The department is procuring advanced metering equipment from Germany to test faulty meters in its 10 labs at Dhulkote (Ambala), Yamunanagar, Kaithal, Karnal and Rohtak under the UHVBN, and Charkhi Dadri, Sirsa, Hisar, Faridabad and Gurugram under the DHBVN. The project is estimated to cost Rs 28 crore.

A senior official in the UHBVN said the existing equipment was bought in 2000. Though the equipment was upgraded with time and was testing meters with accuracy, technical snags, frequent and costly repairs, and lower availability of original parts of the equipment had been a challenge. To overcome these issues, the department had decided to revamp the labs.

While the UHBVN has placed a purchase order of Rs 13.71 crore, the DHBVN has placed an order of Rs 14.54 crore for their labs. Faulty and tempered meters seized from the field are sent to the labs for investigation.

At present, 10 meters can be tested at a time on the meter-testing bench, but in the new setup, 20 meters can be tested in one go.

In case of indirect theft, too, wherein meters are tempered with, burnt, have damaged display or extra circuit is put to slow them down, the meters are sent to the labs for checking. About 3,000 to 4,000 meters are tested every month by each lab. With the new equipment, the testing facility will be doubled.

Rajiv Anand, Superintending Engineer of Meters and Protection Circle (Dhulkote), UHBVN, said, “To overcome the issues of technical snag and delay in procurement of damaged parts, the department has decided to revamp the labs. The new equipment is expected to be installed by the end of the current financial year. With upgradation of labs, precision, accuracy, and efficiency will increase.”