Srinagar: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir is all set to launch its Pre Paid electricity meter installation to reduce Transmission and Distribution (T&D) losses, reports said.
According to reports that the plan is to install around 10 lakh prepaid electricity meters.
The project will commence from April this year.
“In August last year, the government had outsourced the project to Rural Electricity Corporation Power Distribution Company Limited (RECPDCL),” reports quoting sources said.
The company has to procure and install 9.25 lakh electronic prepaid meters in the rural and urban areas, sanctioned under various schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 282.15 crore, and 2 lakh smart meters in towns and urban areas of the State at an estimated cost of Rs 126.54 crore.
No timeline to complete the project has been set as of now, reports claimed.
Power Development Department (PDD) officials have only metered 3.99 lakh consumers out of the 9.65 lakh registered consumers in Kashmir.
PDD claims that the pre-paid meters would streamline electricity consumption claiming it closes any room for theft.
The PDD is introducing smart meters and pre-paid meters for the urban and rural areas of the State.
“RECPDCL would undertake operation and maintenance services for the meters in rural and urban areas, at an estimated cost of Rs 44.53 crore. The company would also manage meter reading and bill generation in rural and urban areas at an estimated cost of Rs 61.32 crore,” reports said.
