Smart meters being installed with complete transparency, scientific pricing structure: BESCOM
Bengaluru, Mar 24 (PTI): The installation of smart meters in new electrical setups within the BESCOM jurisdiction is being carried out with complete transparency, with a scientific pricing structure in place, BESCOM Managing Director N Shivashankara said on Monday.
In a press conference held at the BESCOM office, Shivashankara further said existing customers too will have the option to install smart meters.
The press meet was also attended by Energy Department’s Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta and Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) Managing Director Pankaj Kumar Pandey.
On March 6, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission released guidelines for installing smart meters. As per these guidelines, installing and replacing smart meters will take place in phases.
Shivashankara said, “The Energy Department’s smart meter scheme is a significant step towards a digital approach for electricity bill payments and real-time electricity usage data. These smart meters are not just a solution to meter and billing issues but also a tool for customers to manage their electricity usage effectively.”
According to him, the system enables TOD (Time of Day) rates, remote reading, auto connection, and disconnection. In case of a power outage, the electricity distribution company will receive immediate updates, streamlining and speeding up the power restoration process.
Most states have implemented the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) system, said a release issued by the Energy Department.
Under RDSS, the central government would provide 60 percent of funding for developing electrical infrastructure if accepted. Additionally, the union government would contribute 15 percent of the total cost, or Rs 900, to replace smart meters, said the press release.
However, the scheme stipulated that state governments could only benefit if they cleared any outstanding subsidies and dues owed to the respective electricity supply companies. Furthermore, it was mandatory for all customers to install smart meters.
Since the Karnataka government did not agree to these conditions at that time, it did not accept the central RDSS scheme, said Shivashankara.
“In these states, electricity supply companies purchase and install smart meters for customers, subsequently recovering the cost of the meters and their technical maintenance by incorporating it into the electricity tariff,” he added.
He also explained how it worked in other states.
“For instance, with the central government’s subsidy, the monthly cost for each smart meter over 10 years is Rs120.34 in Maharashtra, Rs117.81 in West Bengal, Rs148.88 in Sikkim, Rs 130.30 in Manipur, and Rs115.84 in Madhya Pradesh. This cost is reflected in the electricity bill and collected from customers. Additionally, in these states, smart meters are being installed simultaneously for all customer installations (bulk replacement),” said Shivashankara.
The process of installing smart meters began in urban areas on February 15, and in the coming days, the installation process will begin in rural areas, he added.
“Currently, BESCOM has a stock of 30,600 smart meters,” said the BESCOM MD.
At the press meet, Energy Department’s ACS Gupta and KPCL MD Pandey also provided information about Karnataka's power situation and the measures taken by the Energy Department to ensure a stable power supply.
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Climate Change crisis: IMD to change parameters to declare heatwaves
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The IMD, along with its technical partners, will soon revise the criteria for declaring heatwave conditions in the country, as the present parameters do not suit India’s geographical conditions, according to official sources here.
Kerala, in particular, has faced difficulties in issuing heatwave warnings because of the limitations of the existing parameters.
Sources in the India Meteorological Department said the state experienced severe heat and humidity this summer and, for the first time, weather forecasts were made based on the anti-cyclone system that formed near the Karnataka–Maharashtra coast.
"We have never had an anti-cyclone system form closer to the South before, and this time we had to predict the weather based on it," a senior IMD official told PTI.
Anti-cyclonic systems are common over north-western parts of India, but this year one formed near the southern region, leading to unusually hot nights.
The anti-cyclone caused downward air movement, which pushed warm air towards the surface and prevented it from dispersing at night, the official added. As a result, Kerala recorded night temperatures 3 to 4 degrees Celsius above normal.
Because Kerala has experienced a steady temperature increase during the summer months for the last few years, changing the parameters for declaring heat waves would benefit the state, enabling the authorities to issue warnings more efficiently, the official added.
The IMD currently issues hot and humid weather warnings, although the situation warrants a heatwave warning, as the existing parameters do not allow the department to issue one.
At present, the IMD issues a heat wave warning in coastal areas when the maximum temperature reaches 37 degree Celsius or more with a temperature departure of 4.5 degree Celsius over the recorded maximum temperature.
For plains, the threshold is 40 degrees Celsius with a departure of 4.5 degrees Celsius or more from normal, while for hilly regions it is 30 degrees Celsius with a departure of 4.5 degrees Celsius or more.
Officials said the current heatwave declaration parameters also require these conditions to be recorded at two stations in the state to issue the warnings.
"In Kerala, we hardly get to record these conditions in two areas; moreover, we have severe heat stress that can easily cause a heat stroke. So we have decided to rework the heatwave declaration parameters and the changes will be implemented shortly. There will be a consultation with the Disaster Management Authority also before finalising the parameters," the official said.
Throughout Kerala, temperatures recorded this summer were three to four degrees Celsius higher than usual. The state also reported multiple cases of heatstroke despite regular warnings issued by the IMD and the state disaster management authority.
According to experts, Kerala has become a climate change hotspot, with a steady increase in atmospheric temperatures and erratic monsoons.
The IMD has also predicted a below-normal monsoon this year, as this is the first time two consecutive El Nino years are being witnessed.
