The KSEB is planning to replace conventional metres in around 44,000 households with smart metres. | Photo Credit: S_RAMESHKURUP more-in The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has completed a field study under the Nadakkavu section to pilot the installation of smart power meters aimed at ensuring precision in power consumption reading and enabling online management of the process without the KSEB staff visiting houses. As many as 25 consumers have been randomly selected from commercial and residential categories in the Nadakkavu section for the scheme. The field study was conducted by a private agency, which will also be responsible for the installation of meters, costing ?4,000 each, at select consumption locations and the evaluation of their performance. Figures from old and new meters will be measured to compare. Initially, those above the consumption slab of 500 units of electricity a month will be considered for installation of new meters. The pilot study, expected to begin in a couple of weeks, will go on for four months to make an accurate assessment. Kozhikode is the third city chosen for the scheme after Thiruvanathapuram and Kochi. If the pilot project is found satisfactory, smart meters will be introduced within the limits of the Kozhikode City corporation; Koyilandy and Vadakara municipalities, and Kadalundi grama panchayat in the first phase. Utility pattern KSEB officials said smart meters would enable the board to check even the utility pattern of consumers online for internal assessment, if any, to streamline the service. Technical support to attend power disruptions will also be made a hassle-free task with the introduction of smart meters, they explained. KSEB Deputy Chief Engineer K.P. Swaminathan said the project, funded by the Union government, would cover 44,000 consumers in Kozhikode district. Smart meters will combine technologies such as GPRS, radio frequency, and powerline communication to ensure precision in online meter reading and billing, he added. Mr. Swaminathan also confirmed that there was no opposition from any quarter against the introduction of smart meter reading facility replacing the conventional ones. “We also hope that the cost of the machines will be reduced soon with its large-scale distribution across the country,” he added.

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