Mumbai: BEST’s 11 lakh consumers can soon track power usage pattern online

Apart from installing the smart meters, related communication and cloud infrastructure will also be installed over a period of 30 months. Representation pic

BEST undertaking's 10.80 lakh electricity consumers will soon be able to monitor online consumption patterns and take prompt, corrective action, as deemed necessary, thanks to smart metering, which will be provided to them over the next 30 months.

Suburban supplier Adani Electricity and pan-city utility Tata Power Company have already started smart metering in phases. Both companies have installed some 1.10 lakh meters each and plan to complete the drive over the next two-three years. Adani Electricity said that all of its 29 lakh consumers will have smart meters by the end of 2025, with the next installment of 5 lakh expected by December 2023. BEST had floated a tender for implementing the scheme in which Adani Transmission Limited has emerged as the successful bidder. The parent company of the suburban supply utility made an announcement to this effect on Thursday.

Adani Transmission said smart meters provide an option to opt for pre-paid billing and net-metering facility for housing societies and commercial buildings with roof-top solar facility. "BEST will also have the ability to carry out remote connection and disconnection of non-paying customers. Smart meters also enable the regulators to design consumer friendly time-of-day tariffs and drive overall efficiency in electricity distribution," it added. Apart from installing smart meters, related communication and cloud infrastructure will also be installed over a period of 30 months and maintained for the following 90 months.

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Commenting on the development, Adani Transmission's Distribution CEO Kandarp Patel said, "This project is in line with our long-terms goal to deliver customer value by unlocking the potential of technology and digitalization. We are confident about delivering this project as per expectations in a timely manner, allowing the BEST Undertaking and its consumers to fully capitalize on the potential of digitalization."

"This will bring billing efficiency, collection efficiency and a world-class experience to Mumbaikars. Consumers will have 24x7 access to their consumption details. This will reduce grievances and help us serve our consumers better. Consumers will be able to control their appliances remotely," said Lokesh Chandra, general manager, BEST.

The many benefits of the intelligent devices

Consumers
>> They can come to know consumption figures in real time and take decision regarding modifying consumption pattern
>> Facility allows net metering to housing societies and commercial buildings with roof-top solar installations
>> Users can switch between pre-paid and post-paid meters
>> Smart metering allows introduction of ‘time-of-day tariff' which gives choices to consumers when to switch on or switch off energy-guzzling appliances like AC and washing machines.

Companies
>> Manual intervention will not be required to generate accurate bills
>> They can detect and prevent power theft. Tampering with meters alerts the utility's control room with exact location and meter number. They can switch off power remotely
>> Remote disconnection of non-paying customers
>> Pinpoint distribution losses and fix responsibility
>> Energy accounting with zero manual intervention