MahaVitaran steps up drive to install tech-savvy meters

Move part of Rs 10,000-cr plan to create, upgrade power distribution infrastructure

Maharashtra’s state- run electricity distribution company MahaVitaran has stepped up its drive to install technology-savvy meters across the state, excluding Mumbai.

Ajoy Mehta, managing director, MahaVitaran, told Business Standard: “The objective is to avoid human interface. The installation of these meters is in itself a big investment opportunity. The annual requirement would be between 1.5-4 million meters. The entire procurement is done through a bidding process.” So far, MahaVitaran has installed new meters comprising radio frequency (RF), infra red (IR) and automatic meter reading (AMR) meters to 4.7 million consumers.

Mehta said that for all new connections, particularly for high-tension (HT) consumers, the AMR meters would be installed. HT consumers are those whose load in the municipal corporation area is more than 207 Horse Power (HP) and more than 107 HP in other areas.

A MahaVitaran official said the technology savvy meters are an integral part of the Rs 10,000-crore investment plan for the creation and up-gradation of distribution infrastructure launched since 2008. Further, the state Cabinet also gave its approval in early January for an additional investment of Rs 6,500 crore and the tendering under the same has also been launched.

RF unit, similar to those used in cell phones, would be installed on meters. The meter reader’s hand-held unit (HHU) would have an RF unit. The meter reader’s unit would be able to record the readings of all the meters located one after another within 30 metres. It would take only five seconds to record one reading.

As far as IR meters are concerned, a chip would be installed in the meter and another in the HHU.

The HHU must be within 1.5 m of the meter for taking the reading and there should be no obstruction.

In case of AMR, a modem would be installed with the meter and the data would be transferred through GSM or GPS network.

The official informed the meters underwent nearly 26 different tests and a quality assurance test thereafter to avoid loopholes, if any.

MahaVitaran has a consumer base of over 22.1 million. comprising 13.4 million residential, three million agricultural, 1.34 million commercial and 2.5 lakh industrial consumers.