Escoms install smart meters in State

The Electricity Supply Companies (escoms) in the Karnataka state have completed installing the Time of the Day (ToD) compliant meters (smart meters) across the State.

The ToD tariff system introduced by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) requires consumers with high tension connections to pay over and above the applicable tariff during peak hours.

The system, which came into effect on September 1, 2012, has been made compulsory for over 1,800 consumers with a contract demand of 500 Kva of supply from the escoms.

Under this system, these consumers will pay Re 1 per unit in addition to the applicable tariff for electricity consumed between 6 pm and 10 pm and get a rebate of Rs 1.25 per unit for the power consumed between 10 pm and 6 am.

So far many consumers covered by the system could not avail the benefit under ToD due to the additional time taken by the escoms to fix the meters.

There are about 1,278 such consumers in Bescom, 118 in Mescom, 126 in Cesc, 140 in Hescom and 139 in Gescom division and all the meters have been put in place now.

Peak hour demand

The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission has said that it expects the peak hour demand for electricity to be moderated so that the need for loadshedding during those hours is reduced.

This is also likely to improve the supply of power for meeting the lighting requirements of domestic consumers and streetlights.

“We will closely monitor the impact of the introduction of ToD tariff on the power supply and also the revenues of escoms,” the Commission has said.