PANAJI
Amid growing public concerns over smart electricity meters, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said he would personally visit the Electricity Department to review and resolve issues related to payment discrepancies, inflated bills and house load disputes linked to the new smart meter.
Addressing the media, CM announced that the installation of smart meters has been temporarily put on hold until concerns raised by consumers are examined. “The department has been directed to conduct a study on house load issues and notify the sanctioned load applicable to each household,” Sawant said.
The move comes in response to increasing complaints from consumers regarding multiple electricity bills being issued within a single month, load penalty charges and a sharp rise in billing amounts following the installation of smart meters.
Sawant also dismissed claims made earlier this week by Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar that one lakh smart meters had already been installed across the State.
Explaining the reason behind higher bills in some cases, CM said many households continue to be billed based on their originally sanctioned load despite having added several electrical appliances over the years.
“For example, when a house was constructed, its sanctioned load may have been 400 megawatts. Over time, air conditioners and other appliances were added, increasing consumption. However, the old meter did not accurately record these changes. The new smart meter measures the actual load and usage of each appliance, and the billing is generated accordingly,” Sawant said.
CM assured that all grievances related to smart meters would be examined and appropriate corrective measures will be taken to address public concerns.
