Power regulator - UP State Electricity Regulatory Commission directed UP Power Corporation and its four subsidiary distribution companies to submit report on the quality of meters purchased by PSUs discoms.
As per MOU -`Power For All’ signed by UP government and the Center on April 14, as many as 68 lakh meters were targeted to be installed at household premises including consumers with unmetered connections.
‘Power For All’ aims to provide round the clock power to each household in the state by March 2019. Beside metres for unmetered connections, as many as 40 lakh smart metres are to be purchased and installed at the premises of existing consumers.
UP Power Consumer Forum on Tuesday petitioned the power regulator and alleged that power distribution companies were indifferent on the quality of meters and sub-standard equipment were being purchased.
A Forum office bearer said that when they raised the matter with UPPCl management then they assured that they would order a probe into the matter by Central Power Research Institute for ensuring quality of the metres.
Verma said that power distribution corporations of east and west UP have already placed orders for the purchase of metres worth Rs 400 crore.
Chairman of UPSERC, DD Verma assured power consumers forum that the regulator will ask power distribution companies to submit report on the quality of metres and that the power regulator will not tolerate compromise on the quality of the metres.
Meanwhile, the power regulator directed UPPCl to submit the completion report on online token generation for installation of prepaid metres by July 31, failing which penal proceedings would be initiated by the regulator.
The UPSERC Chairman in his order that ‘integration of pre-paid metres and online token generation, a key issue in implementation of pre–paid metering. Power distribution utilities in India have been striving hard to maintain quality and quantity of power being supplied to consumers due to their poor financial condition’.
“Activities like meter reading, preparation of bills, its distribution and collection of payments takes away a considerable amount of time and efforts of power utility and each activity has an associated cost with it and the same is being charged from consumers,’’said Verma
He added : ``This cost can be eliminated by the use of prepaid metering system and can thereby improve the fragile condition of Discoms. Use of pre-paid metre is beneficial for both consumer and power utility.’’
The UPSERC initiated suo–motu hearing and reviewed the matter of implementation of pre–paid metres on July 7. The Commission enquired the status of online token generation for pre-paid metres. Finding no substantial progress, the Commission on July 24 directed Director (Commercial), UPPCl to submit completion report on online token generation by July 31 before the Commission, failing which penal proceeding under section 142 of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission Act will be initiated.