Surat: Poor network connectivity persists in remote parts of Gujarat, but even areas around the Diamond City are facing the challenge, hitting those who have adopted modern infrastructure.In Nov when Hardik Lad got a solar plant installed at his home in Sithan village, around 10km from the city, he expected his power bill to fall. Encouraged by the benefits, he also opted for a smart meter. During the solar installation, Dakshin Gujarat Vij Company Ltd replaced a working digital meter with a smart meter as part of a billing upgrade. He now faces a problem. After the installation of smart meters, users are not getting clear details of actual use and charges. Bills show adjustment amounts, but without any explanation. In his March bill, the total of fixed charge, energy charge, fuel charge and electricity duty is Rs 4,997. The payable amount was Rs 22 due to an adjustment of Rs -3,887. “I could not understand initially how much electricity the solar plant is producing and how much we are using. We were told that it would regularize after some time. But despite changing two mobile sim cards in the meter by the service provider, the meters are unable to transmit data,” Lad, a mechanical engineer, told TOI. He also raised concerns about whether meters are recording data correctly. Despite multiple complaints, Lad has not received a solution. Before the solar plant was installed, his electricity bill used to range between Rs 1,200 and Rs 3,000 for two months. “There are issues related to network connectivity and in some cases, we have to carry out manual reading. We are not charging any additional amount in such cases and attempts are on to resolve the problem,” said a DGVCL official. Another resident of Sithan, Atul Lad, a manager in a factory, is facing a similar issue. “After the installation of the solar power plant and smart meters, I was hoping that I would be able to save well on electricity. Savings are there, but with uncertainty as I do not know how much electricity I produce and how much is used,” said Atul. After a solar power plant is installed, DGVCL installs two smart meters — one for electricity production and another for consumption. These meters transmit data to a server, which reflects in the mobile app, allowing users to check daily production and consumption. DGVCL officials said staff visit such locations and collect data manually. The data is then fed into the system and the bill is generated. “If there are similar issues, we will investigate them and resolve them. It is important to find out why there is an issue,” said a senior DGVCL official. In an industrial area, Vimal Anghan, the owner of a textile weaving unit at Anjani Industrial on the city outskirts, said that despite installing a solar power plant in Aug, his bills have not fallen. “I have a 65 kV solar power plant installed at my unit and even now average power bills are being issued. I believe I am not getting the full deduction for power generated,” said Anghan.
