Kashmir discom warns against tampering of smart meters

Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) on Monday issued an advisory to its consumers to remain vigilant against certain gangs operating in Srinagar city and outskirts, “which are offering their services to tamper smart meters by quoting a price.”

A statement said KPDCL’s central inspection squad has recently caught several consumers with tampered smart meters and during investigation, consumers have divulged names of a few operatives, which shall be shared with J&K Police so that the larger gangs involved are busted and criminals brought to justice.

A KPDCL spokesperson stated that real time data flows from smart meters to Data Centre giving tamper alerts. “No tampering is foolproof and discom’s Head End System easily detects fiddling with internal circuitry of the smart meter and exposes attempts by the consumer to reduce consumption,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesman said central inspection squad of KPDCL has detected some incidents of smart meter tampering and fiddling with internal circuitry by consumers through these gangs in Mehjoornagar, Watalkadal, Hawal, Firdousabad, Batmaloo, Dalgate, Baghat, Zainakote and Rajbagh localities in Srinagar city as well as Sopore Town in Baramulla district.

“All these tampered smart meters have been confiscated and notices served to the consumers for recovery of energy illegally consumed,” he said.

KPDCL has issued directions to all circle heads to constitute special squads to check smart meters for tampering. “KPDCL is examining the low consumption profiles of smart metered consumers at its Data Centre to check and verify if any attempt has been made to tamper the meter to record low consumption,” the spokesperson said.

He said that in order to create enough deterrence against tampering of smart meters FIRs have also been lodged in various police stations by the concerned SDOs of electric subdivisions.

Easily detectable

• KPDCL issues advisory to power consumers to remain vigilant against gangs offering their services to tamper smart meters
• KPDCL official said discom’s Head End System easily detects fiddling with internal circuitry of the smart meter
• Tampered smart meters have been confiscated and notices served to the consumers for recovery of energy illegally consumed
• FIRs have also been lodged in various police stations by the concerned SDOs of electric subdivisions