Jammu, May 4: To check the menacing energy pilferage, the Power Development Department (PDD) in Jammu in Kashmir is contemplating to go high-tech under the second phase of central government funded Revised Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (RAPDRP).
Power theft has been a major concern for the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is losing around Rs 481 crore to the menace, official sources told Greater Kashmir.
“To overcome the mounting losses suffered due to the power theft, the state government is going to introduce Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) in around 30 towns of the state, where population exceeds 10,000,” sources said.
“At the initial stage the system will be introduced in 30 towns, including 10 from Jammu, 18 from Srinagar and 2 from Leh”, sources, preferring not to be named, said. “SCADA integration is a key objective and a critical function that has to be achieved for R-APDRP to deliver benefits to the utilities and to the tax payers finally whose money is being used to fund this modernization program,” said sources.
Under the new system, the power development department will be preparing consumer data indexing (CDI) and installing small transfer and high voltage distribution system (HVDS), to overcome the usage of heavy transformers presently in vogue.
Sources said the small stations would be installed in an area, which will be connected by GPRS with the main station. “If implemented the system will help the officials to monitor meter reading and possible power theft from any station across the state”, sources said adding, “If any of the consumer tries to tamper with the meter or a consumer tries to connect the main cable an alarm will ring at the main station providing complete address and consumer details of the violator”.
SCADA is a large-scale control system used to monitor and control by gathering data through sensors at the facility or remote station and then sending it to a central computer system that manages the 
operations using this information.
The system was earlier used by the department to connect around 30 industrial units in Jammu through GPRS with the Chandigarh station. “Since 2005 when the system was adopted, the meter reading of all these industrial units is being recorded in Chandigarh”, sources said.
SCADA is part of RAPDRP programme under implementation in the state. Under the first phase of the project, which was cent percent funded by the union government, the department was to strengthen the infrastructure including transformers and installation of electronic meters.
Some part of the project has already been completed and the department has spent around Rs 650 crore out of the total sanctioned amount of Rs 1100 crore by the central government, sources said adding, the second phase of the project will cost Rs 144 crore. “The state will have to spend from its own resources before claiming refund from the centre”.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 4 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 4 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 5 May 2010 00:00:00 IST