Southco installing prepaid electric meters in Ganjam

Private power distribution company 'Southco' has initiated the process of installing prepaid electric meters in Ganjam district to reduce loss of electricity and increase revenue.
"Initially the meters will be installed in government offices. Installation process is being started from the district headquarters town of Chhatrapur," said Deputy General Manager, Southco, P K Choudhury.
In the first phase, 800 such meters would be installed in Chhatrapur, he said. A Hyderabad-based pre-paid meter producing company had been entrusted with the task to install the meters.
In the second phase, private consumers would be covered. From the day of installation, the meters would start functioning. The meters would come with vouchers for dues of two months on an average. The consumers would be asked the deposit the amount with the vendor within two months unless the connection would be snapped.

After exhausting the amount, the consumer would be asked to recharge the meter, he said. Discom officials said the meter would help consumers reduce wasteful power. "The consumers will utilize power according to their prepaid vouchers," said Choudhury. It will also help the discom to increase the revenue.
The prepaid metering system has already been started in government offices in some places, including Burla, Balasore and Bhubaneswar, sources said.