MAPUSA
Power Minister Sudhin Dhavlikar on Tuesday said the electricity department was in the process of replacing the existing meters with “smart meters” which will help both the consumers and the department and further reduce the problem of inflated power bills.
Dhavlikar also said the department was suffering a loss of 14 per cent, majorly through power theft, which has been brought down to 12 per cent after replacing the old meters and the target was to bring it further down to single digit.
He further informed that works of around Rs 390 crore have already been issued in the State while projects worth Rs 150 crore will be taken up within another three months.
“A consumer takes an electricity connection in his new house after calculating the original load size. Later, the consumer adds an AC and other electronic gadgets drawing extra load which is not in the original connection and that is why he gets less bill. We have started to correct this anomaly and after installation of “smart meters” there will be several improvements for consumers as well as the department. The revenue of the department will increase and people will also not get inflated bills,” Dhavlikar said.
The power minister was addressing the media at the sidelines of a function to inaugurate the new gas insulated sub-station in Calangute. Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira, Chief Electrical Engineer Stephen Fernandes and several senior engineers of the department were also present.
A senior department engineer informed that the smart meters record and store crucial data such as energy consumption and other parameters which the department can use for billing and monitor power quality.
He said the installation of the smart meter project was expected to start soon and will be implemented through central funds.
Speaking further, Dhavlikar said the department engineers have managed to bring down the loss of revenue suffered by the electricity department from 14 per cent to 12 per cent.
He said the loss of revenue took place in different ways but major revenue loss was due to power theft.
“People should stop stealing power. We do not want to take punitive action against the offenders. Instead of taking action through law it is easier to convince people not to indulge in the wrongdoing,” he said.
He said the aim of the department was to bring down the revenue loss from 14 per cent to single digit.
“We have given assurance to the union ministry of power that in the new 2023-24 fiscal we will bring down the revenue loss to single digit. We have done several provisions to meet the target,” he said.
