Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
“After installing a smart meter, the bill started going up. Earlier the bill used to be one thousand rupees, now it reaches three thousand rupees. You never know when the charging ends. The electricity is cut off.
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Manisha, Jamui
“The government installed smart meters but power outages still happen. Transformers and electric wires are rickety. They also need to be smart, otherwise we will be in trouble even after we pay the money.
Sushila Bharti, Purnia
“First of all, you need to charge the smart meter. The lights are off at all times. A person does not have money all the time. upset about it.
Rakesh Kumar, Bhagalpur
“We are charging. Many times the money gets stuck and cannot be recharged.
Muhammad Aaqib Shaikh, Darbhanga
These are the problems faced by four different people in the country regarding smart meters. So far 48.87 lakh Rosh Chachim meters have been installed in Bihar. 17.70 lakh smart meters were installed in urban areas and 31.15 lakh smart meters were installed in rural areas. In many places, the workers who went to install smart prepaid meters are met with resistance. Because people feel that their electricity bill increases after installing smart meters.
After all, how does a smart meter work? Did it really increase the electricity bill? To answer all these questions, we spoke to Nikhil Kumar, Assistant Electrical Engineer in Patna. Read this report.
How does a smart meter work?
A SIM card like a mobile phone in a smart meter: a smart meter This is the latest version of a digital meter. A SIM card is installed in it like a mobile. It is connected to the network. Like mobile, it also has an IME number. SIM from companies like Jio, BSNL, Airtel are available. Data is used by synchronizing the SIM number and the electricity bill number.
A smart meter is not 100 percent accurate
Physics professor P Ranjan Singh says, “Technically meters are accurate and pre-calibrated. This means they get accurate readings. Reads even the smallest consumption. However, there can be an error of one meter out of ten. If this happens, the consumer should replace the meter.
How are readings done in smart meters?
Error in meter up to about 2 percent : A counter expert of the Ministry of Energy, on condition of anonymity, says that ‘about one to two percent of all counters have technical faults. This causes problems for consumers. There is also a difference in power consumption. However, meter test points were made for this.
What did experts say to people’s questions?
Question: There is no solution when I complain in the application? answer: The load on the server is high. That’s why there is no immediate solution.
Question: The electricity was cut off without prior notice, while according to the rules the notice must be sent to the first registered mobile number? answer: When the amount in the pre-counter is negative, the electricity is cut off. You need to keep checking your balance. The electricity is not cut off between 5:00 PM and 5:00 AM. After the balance becomes zero, one day time is given to recharge.
Question: Does the difference in the electricity bill increase every month? answer: It depends on the consumption of the consumer. If the power consumption is 100 units, it will be charged. If it is 500 units, the quantity will increase more. Also, your load is one kilowatt. If the consumption is two kilowatts then an amount of 80 rupees will be added as a fine. It will increase by 80 rupees for each kilowatt.
Question: Sometimes the application server does not work, the application does not open? answer: This happens because of a server and network problem.
Question: A smart meter works very fast, what is the reason behind it? answer: A smart meter does not work fast. It works similar to a digital meter. Its accuracy is high. It reads the smallest unit of power consumption. The name itself is clever. Like your smart mobile and other smart devices.
Question: Despite charging, does it take a long time to get electricity? answer: Work is in progress on the server. This is still the initial stage. It will be fine in the future. Loading goes through three servers. First, UPI, meter server and meter SIM network. This problem gets worse after 17:00 to 22:00. There are less problems if the load on the server is less in the morning.
Question: Why is it important to charge first? answer: A prepaid smart meter works like a mobile. You have to keep a balance in it. Consumers have to recharge before the amount is exhausted.
Question: How is reloading done? answer: Charging is done using a smart electricity meter application. After downloading the mobile app, you need to login. In order to promote pre-paid smart meters, the electric company decided to also give a three percent discount to consumers. The grace period of one day is given after the deposit amount has been exhausted.
Question: Is there interest on the balance amount? answer: The electricity companies also give interest on the amount of the balance to the consumer. Demands more interest than banks. Interest is given from 6.75 to 7.25 percent.
Question: At what time is it forbidden to charge? answer: Do not pre-charge a smart meter between 17:00 and 23:00. During this period the load on the server remains high. The electricity companies definitely take money from customers. But his server is not strong. Consumers are facing issues during charging at this timing. Many times the loading amount gets stuck on the server. Then you have to wait seven days.
Question: How many companies install smart meters in Bihar? answer: 7 companies including Adani install smart meters in Bihar. These include Hi Print, NCC, Adani Power, Secure Meters Limited, EESL, InstelliSmart and Genus Power.
Smart meter has increased the revenue of Bihar government
The first smart meter was installed in Bihar on September 1, 2019. It started from Kanti Marwal and Muzaffarpur. At the cabinet meeting on March 1, 2019, it was decided to install meters in advance throughout the country.
The first prepaid meter was installed at Vidur’s house, Arwal APO of Bihar Government. Before the introduction of prepaid meters, the government established four electricity generation and distribution companies besides the Electricity Board.
Bihar government revenue increased due to smart meters. In the last financial year, the energy company made an excess recovery of 1,852 million rupees. 15,107 crores earlier came. This revenue collection in 2019-20 was Rs 8,598 crore.
In the last 4 years, the revenue collection figure increased by 14.3 percent. Whereas the average growth of the consumer during this period is 6.9 percent. The energy companies recorded a loss of 35.12 percent in 2019-20. But, with smart prepaid meters this will drop to 21.74 percent in 2023-24.
The number of consumers who pay the electricity bills in Bihar is up to 85 percent. Last year, in 2023-2024, there was a 14 percent increase in revenue collection. Before installing prepaid meters, revenue collection was close to 50%.
The Chief Secretary, Amrit Lal Mina, directed that “prepaid smart meters must be installed in all government offices by November 30.
The electricity companies claim that interest is also given according to the balance. The interest rate is also higher than the bank.
The Bihar government has increased the subsidy 10 times in the last ten years
The first prepaid meter was installed in the home of a civil servant.
About 2 million consumers in Bihar
There are about two electricity consumers in Bihar. Out of that, only 16 thousand commercial consumers are there. 92 percent (1 crore 84 lakh) consumers are domestic consumers. The target is to install 23.50 lakh smart meters in the urban areas of Bihar. The 75 percent target has been completed.
Digital meters are still installed in 25 percent of homes. After the urban areas, the installation of smart meters began in the villages. Smart meters are installed in the village. 1.48 million meters are supposed to be installed in the village houses. Currently, 31.15 lakh meters have been installed in rural areas.
Jharkhand number one among domestic consumers
Jharkhand ranks first in the country in terms of domestic electricity consumers. Jharkhand has the highest number of consumers with 93 percent. Assam is in second place. Here 92.6 percent of consumers are domestic consumers. Whereas, 92 percent in Bihar.
There are 92.1 percent domestic electricity consumers in North Bihar and 86.8 percent in South Bihar. In North Bihar, urban consumers are only 16 percent. In South Bihar, 29 percent of consumers consume electricity.
Bihar government is going to fix electricity connection tariff for small industries on kilowatt basis.
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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