<p>Though the Ministry of Power has set a 2025 deadline for Bescom to convert all power meters to smart meters, there has been hardly any work on the ground. Bescom has converted close to 14 lakh electromechanical meters to digital electrostatic meters instead. </p>.<p>While Bescom officials acknowledge that smart meters are the future, the intermediate step to install digital meters has raised eyebrows as the newly replaced meters may have to be phased out to make way for smart meters. </p>.<p>“Bescom needs to work with a vision. When the ministry has set a deadline, is it not a waste of funds to replace the meters at this juncture of time?” questioned M G Prabhakar, energy expert and former advisory council member, Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC). </p>.<p>Speaking to <em><span>DH</span></em>, Bescom officials said that the Escoms may not be able to meet the 2025 deadline and hence it was important to install digital meters. “Smart meters are expensive and converting the existing meters to smart ones is a capital-intensive project. For instance, a smart meter without any communication network will cost us at least four times the cost of a digital meter. If we want the communication network in place, it will cost us at least 10 times the cost of a digital meter,” the official explained. </p>.<p>Yet another official added that there was an immediate need to convert electromechanical meters. “The KERC had clearly said that we cannot continue with electromechanical meters. Also, the digital meters provide high accuracy and also calculate the load. Hence, we can record every minute use and as a result, our revenue has gone up by at least 7%,” he said. </p>.<p>He added that Bescom will be able to recover the funds invested in the purchase of digital meters within six months of its installation owing to the increase in revenue. “Smart meters may take years to be a reality since the project costs over Rs 5,000 crore. In the meantime, digital meters will help us record precise readings,” the official said. </p>
<p>Though the Ministry of Power has set a 2025 deadline for Bescom to convert all power meters to smart meters, there has been hardly any work on the ground. Bescom has converted close to 14 lakh electromechanical meters to digital electrostatic meters instead. </p>.<p>While Bescom officials acknowledge that smart meters are the future, the intermediate step to install digital meters has raised eyebrows as the newly replaced meters may have to be phased out to make way for smart meters. </p>.<p>“Bescom needs to work with a vision. When the ministry has set a deadline, is it not a waste of funds to replace the meters at this juncture of time?” questioned M G Prabhakar, energy expert and former advisory council member, Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC). </p>.<p>Speaking to <em><span>DH</span></em>, Bescom officials said that the Escoms may not be able to meet the 2025 deadline and hence it was important to install digital meters. “Smart meters are expensive and converting the existing meters to smart ones is a capital-intensive project. For instance, a smart meter without any communication network will cost us at least four times the cost of a digital meter. If we want the communication network in place, it will cost us at least 10 times the cost of a digital meter,” the official explained. </p>.<p>Yet another official added that there was an immediate need to convert electromechanical meters. “The KERC had clearly said that we cannot continue with electromechanical meters. Also, the digital meters provide high accuracy and also calculate the load. Hence, we can record every minute use and as a result, our revenue has gone up by at least 7%,” he said. </p>.<p>He added that Bescom will be able to recover the funds invested in the purchase of digital meters within six months of its installation owing to the increase in revenue. “Smart meters may take years to be a reality since the project costs over Rs 5,000 crore. In the meantime, digital meters will help us record precise readings,” the official said. </p>
