KPDCL says decision to convert all smart meters into prepaid mode taken on directions of Power Ministry after consumers fail to pay monthly tariff on time
SNS KASHMIR
Raja Syed Rather
Srinagar, Jul 03 :
The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) on Monday said that at least 10,000 consumers have switched their smart meters installed in the phase-I to prepaid mode while all those whose smart meters have been installed in the phase-I have to convert the smart meters into prepaid mode mandatorily.
Chief Engineer, KPDCL, Javed Yousuf Dar, told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that on the directions of the Union Power Ministry, all the consumers, whose smart meters have been installed in the phase-I have to switch their smart meters into prepaid mode.
He said that most of the consumers have not paid their electricity bills since the smart meters have been installed, thus the decision has been taken to ensure that the consumers use electricity as per their usage by switching their smart meters to prepaid mode.
Dar further said that so far 10,000 consumers out of 57,000 people, who were covered in phase-I have switched their smart meters to the prepaid mode, adding that the decision was taken after the consumers failed to pay their bills on time.
Pertinently, with a total consumer base of about 2.3 lacs in Srinagar city, the installation target of smart meters is to be completed this year by end of October.
Under the smart metering project, 59000 meters have been installed in Phase-I and 11000 in Phase-II (Target 1.5 Lac lot A + 1.5 Lac lot B) in Srinagar City by the project implementation Agency (PIA) RECPDCL.
The contract has been awarded by RECPDCL (PIA) to M/S Techno Electric and M/S Anvil Cables respectively for Phase-I and Phase II Lot A. With a total consumer base of about 2.3 lacs in Srinagar city the target is to be completed this year by end of October—(KNO)