PANAJI: Calling smart metering critical for Goa’s power sector, Chief Electrical Engineer Stephen Fernandes has said that opposition to the project was largely politically motivated and not driven by consumer interest.
Speaking at the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) public hearing today, Fernandes said smart meters would empower consumers by giving them real-time data on electricity usage without increasing actual consumption.
“On smart metering, I want to be loud and very clear. The moment you touch this subject, it gets politicised. A few people object only for political gains,” Fernandes said.
He clarified that smart meters would not inflate power bills, pointing out that Goa already uses electronic meters, unlike some states that moved directly from outdated electromagnetic meters.
“We already have electronic meters. The smart meter will record the same consumption, not high, not low. The only difference is communication. Consumption will not increase,” he said.
Fernandes said smart meters would allow consumers to monitor electricity usage at 15-minute intervals, helping them better understand and control consumption.
“You will know your entire 24-hour consumption the very next day. Your memory will be fresh. Yesterday, my consumption increased. Why did it happen when I wasn’t even at home? You can question us the next day,” he said.
While acknowledging that power costs could rise due to broader factors, Fernandes maintained that smart metering would help consumers manage usage more efficiently.
From the department’s perspective, he said smart meters would reduce billing and metering costs, cut losses, and enable better planning of power infrastructure by identifying demand patterns across regions in real time.
Fernandes added that smart meters have already been installed on feeders as part of a phased rollout to assess performance before wider implementation.
On underground cabling, he said the project would deliver long-term public benefits and address the shortcomings of bunch cabling, where fault detection has proved difficult.
“Bunch cabling failed because faults cannot be traced easily. Underground cabling is a good project, provided it is executed properly,” he said.
Urging consumers not to be swayed by what he termed politically driven opposition, Fernandes reiterated that smart metering was essential for transparency, efficiency, and improved power services in Goa.
