In a significant decision aimed at reducing power pilferage in Jammu and Kashmir, the State Administrative Council has privatised electricity metering in the state and granted sanction for a smart grid project.
The SAC on Wednesday accorded sanction to the engagement of the Rural Electricity Corporation Power Distribution Company Limited (RECPDCL) for carrying out power meter procurement, meter reading, billing and maintenance.
The energy starved state is presently faced with astronomically high level of power losses, which recorded 60% during 2016-17.
The thrust of the latest move is expected to be on metering rural areas.
The RECPDLC, engaged as PIA on nomination basis, will procure and install 9.25 lakh electronic meters in rural and urban areas of the state at an estimated cost of Rs 282.15 crore. This money is sanctioned under PMDP, DDUGJY and IPDS.
Two lakh smart meters will be installed in towns and urban areas of the state which is estimated to cost another 126.54 crore rupees.
The company will also work for the upkeep and Maintenance of Consumer Metering at an estimated cost of Rs 44.53 crore, besides managing Meter Reading and Bill Generation in rural and urban areas, which will separately cost Rs 61.32 crore.
The SAC also accorded approval to the engagement of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) for execution of Smart Grid Project in the state at an estimated cost of Rs.140.55 crore.
The Project will have attributes like Substation Automation System (SAS), Smart Collection Mechanism (SCM), Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Outage Management System (OMS), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System and Peak Load Management (PLM).
The Smart Grid project will be executed for 19 towns and industrial areas.
A government statement said the SAC decisions are in tune with the government’s vision to accomplish round-the-clock electricity for all by 2019 in a time bound manner which cannot be accomplished unless 100% consumer metering is achieved.