Panaji: Although the state govt has put the rollout of new smart meters on hold, the electricity department continues to install them for consumers who are willing, but without activating their smart features.“These are the only meters the department has. We don’t have the older electronic meters to supply consumers anymore. Smart meters too are electronic meters. In cases of new connections, burnt meters, non-functional meters, increase of load, etc., we are installing smart meters,” a department engineer said.“The smart features such as remote disconnection will not be activated. At most, the readings will automatically reflect in our system.
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Although the rollout has been kept on hold, there’s no ban as such on installing the meters,” he added.Chief minister Pramod Sawant last month put the rollout of new smart meters on hold amid protests by MLAs across party lines and public anger over high electricity bills linked to their installation.The CM directed the electricity department to verify the bills and said no power connections should be disconnected until the exercise is completed. He also said consumers would have to pay only the actual bill amount, without penalties or interest.“I have taken a review of the smart meter bills and we have come across certain things, including some old meters that have been replaced and some meters that were not working. After installing new smart meters, those who used to get Rs 1,000 electricity bill have started getting Rs 5,000 bills,” he had said.“I have given directions to the electricity department to put on hold the installation of smart meters,” the CM had said.The department aims to replace 7.5 lakh electricity meters with smart meters by Aug 2027. In a written reply in the legislative assembly, power minister Sudin Dhavalikar said the project will cost over Rs 890 crore, with state govt bearing Rs 820 crore and the Centre providing Rs 70 crore through budgetary support.
