Assam to set-up IT-based system to check power theft

Electricity theft might soon become a thing of past in Assam as the Assam government has decided to soon set-up a highly advanced IT system called 'Ring Fence System' in the state which, if Assam's power minister Pradyut Bordoloi is to be believed, will make stealing of power by anyone, be it individual or industry, almost "impossible".

To start with, the new technology will cover 72 urban centres, including capital city Guwahati and the government has readied to invest at least Rs 875 crore for the same. Bordoloi claimed that setting up of the new system would also help the highly loss making Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) bring down its transmission and distribution (T&D) losses from present 28 per cent to 15 per cent in next two years.

The new system will help detect any power theft in any part of Assam from a control room which would probably be located in Guwahati. "This will be an IT-based system, which will be connected to all sub-stations and feeders and will detect power theft from the control room and accordingly help APDCL act to nab the culprits immediately. This system will almost make power theft impossible," said Bordoloi.

The 'Ring Fence System' will be set up under the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP) of the central government and the Centre would fund 90 per cent of the total cost. Assam has also become one of the few states to have decided to implement such a highly advanced system to check power theft.