tamperfinderAGRA: In a bid to curb power theft in the city, state government-owned power distribution company, Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitral Nigam Limited (DVVNL), is planning to install smart meters in both residential and commercial establishments.
Under the new system, through modem (modulator-demodulator) equipped smart meters, data of power consumption by each consumer will be maintained by a central server at the control room. Any theft will immediately be detected and dealt with. Moreover, meter-readers will no longer have to visit each establishment for taking a reading.
Giving details, DVVNL staff officer said, “The installation of smart meters will be started soon. In this regard, engineers have been provided special training. As per the installation plan, first major cities will be covered. The smart meters will signal fault in power supply as well as illegal connections (through katia).”
In the first phase, the power corporation will install the smart meters in those establishments having connections with loads above 10 kilowatt. These include commercial establishments like shopping malls, hospitals and schools besides bulk consumers such as group housing.
According to records maintained by the discom, in Agra zone, there are about 30,000 electricity connection with loads ranging from 10KW to 100 KW.
DVVNL chief engineer said, “The smart meters are basically server-based machines having network hardware device which is commonly known as modem. The modem will have a mobile SIM card directly connected to the server where bills will be generated as per the reading supplied by the smart equipment. Modem will store daily power consumption of the each consumer.”
The distribution company official will just have to give a missed call on the allotted number to the consumer concerned to get the entire details of consumption till that moment online. Smart meters will also help collect data on real-time or near real-time reading, send power outage notification and monitor power quality like voltage. According to an official, smart meters will end the entire work of meter-reading leaving no scope for irregularities on the part of meter-readers and consumers. “Often consumers take a connection for one purpose, but use it for another,” said an official. But once the smart meter is installed, these malpractices can be curbed. The server will record the average power consumption of each consumer.”
Discom officials said they are in the process of acquiring the meters. Once the deal is finalized, they will be able to give an estimate of the cost of the smart meters and of installing them.
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