Private power company allays fears over smart meters

Kota Electricity Distribution Limited (KEDL), the private electricity supply company in Kota, has said it will install 'Smart meters' after taking people into confidence.

After a month long protest against 'Smart meters' in Kota city following allegations of higher consumption of electricity by smart meters, KEDL, a subsidiary of the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, has said it will install the meters after satisfying consumers. 

Addressing a press conference in Kota today, the Chief Executive Officer, CESC, Rajasthan, Amarnath Singh said misconceptions among consumers have emerged that smart meters show higher meter readings but this is not true.

“If any consumers have any doubts regarding higher electricity consumption through such smart meters then they can approach the company for clarification or get the meters tested in any accreditated laboratories in presence of KEDL authorities”, he said. 

He said smart meters have been established at residences of several dignitaries of Kota including Mayor, District Collector, Inspector General of Police, District Judge and no difference has been found in the meter readings of the conventional electricity meters and smart meters. 

He said the company has a target of installing smart meters at the establishments of all 2 lakh consumers in Kota City. 

He said smart meters are GPS enabled and will provide entire details on phones of customers about power consumption, power consumption patterns, instant message to the call center of power failure, information about power theft. 

Once smart meters are installed in households there would be no need for sending meter readers to take power consumption readings,” he said.