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State Energy Department Plans to Install Pre-Paid Smart Meter in Jamshedpur, Ranchi And Dhanbad

State Energy Department Plans to Install Pre-Paid Smart Meter in Jamshedpur, Ranchi And Dhanbad

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6.5 lakh pre-paid smart meters tenders floated to decrease losses in state’s power distribution

Ranchi : State energy department will install pre-paid smart meter in Jamshedpur, capital Ranchi and Dhanbad.

This was informed by the energy department to the chief minister Hemant Soren during a review meeting of the department at Ranchi on Friday.

Tenders have already been floated for purchasing 6.5 lakh pre-paid smart meters for these three urban cities.

The aim is to transform the state’s power distribution landscape, which is operating under high aggregate technical and commercial losses.

The smart meters can be switched remotely between postpaid and prepaid modes.

The smart prepaid meters are connected through a web-based monitoring system, which is intended as an important tool in India’s power sector reform in helping to reduce the commercial losses of utilities.

Their use should increase the billing and collection efficiency for the distribution companies, as well as reduce the operation and maintenance costs and enhance the quality of service.

In addition, customers are able to monitor their consumption.

Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren also made his intention to make state self-dependent in terms of power production for a quality electricity supply across the state.

Reviewing the energy department performance in Ranchi, Hemant Soren stressed on tangible efforts to increase power generation after an analysis of the demand and supply of power especially with the perception that demand for electricity would increase manifold with time.

“It is time to explore and develop innovative and non-traditional sources of energy and the time is proper to tap at solar power and hydroelectricity options as sources of electricity.

There should be a survey of all water reservoirs and an action plan should be prepared on the expected power generation through hydel power projects,” said Soren.

The chief minister also announced of setting up land banks for solar energy projects.

“There is vast scope for solar power project but there is a need of large amount of lands for such projects. A land bank should be made in each of the districts to set up and install solar power plants.

We are focussed on setting up more and more solar power projects in future,” the chief minister said.

The chief minister also asked the energy department to prepare details about the solar power plants capacity and the land required for each of the project.

The chief minister also directed the energy department to decrease the revenue loss in terms of electricity generation and take suitable steps on this front. He also advised authorities to increase revenues.

The department officials said that in the fiscal 2020-2021 the loss in power distribution was to the tune of Rs 2480 crore due to difficulties in collection of electricity bills owing to Covid pandemic and the officials assured of an action plan to make the energy department profit making.

The officials informed that they will be getting 500 megawatt in north Karnapura, 2040 megawatt in PVUNL, 100 MW in floating solar panel at Getalsund, and 400 MW through Adani Power.

It was also calculated that the average electricity demand in the state is 2050 MW and in the next five years it will rise to 2900 MW. The action plan of the department plans to decarese transmission and distribution loss in electricity department to 20 per cent from the existing 45 per cent.

Source: avenuemail

Anand Gupta Editor - EQ Int'l Media Network