PANAJI
Even as Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has put on hold the ambitious project to replace conventional electricity meters with smart meters across Goa, reports have surfaced of smart meters continuing to be installed in certain parts of the State.
The government had suspended the rollout following widespread public opposition to the proposed transition affecting around seven lakh electricity consumers. Nearly one lakh smart meters had already been installed before resistance from consumers triggered a political and public backlash.
However, sporadic instances of fresh installations have raised questions among consumers over whether the project is quietly moving ahead despite the government's decision to pause it. Electricity Department officials clarified that the smart meter project remains on hold and no mass replacement drive is currently underway.
They said smart meters are being installed only in specific cases. One category includes domestic consumers who have rooftop solar power systems. Officials explained that smart meters are required for such connections to facilitate energy accounting and net-metering operations.
The second category covers consumers who report faulty or non-functional conventional meters. In such cases, officials said, the damaged meters are being replaced with smart meters. According to a senior Electricity department engineer, these installations should not be construed as a resumption of the Statewide smart meter rollout. The clarification comes amid growing confusion among consumers who have reported department personnel replacing old meters in some localities. The issue had generated significant public concern earlier, with opposition parties and citizen groups questioning the benefits of smart meters and expressing fears over higher electricity bills.
