Chennai: The Central Government has instructed all state governments to install smart meters in all electricity connections, including houses in Tamil Nadu, to accurately measure power consumption and prevent power losses.
In this situation, a tender was invited in June 2023 to implement the smart meter project in Tamil Nadu. Later, since the companies had many doubts regarding the tender procedures, the tender was cancelled and a fresh tender was issued again in August 2023.
However, the tender was canceled because the company that participated in the tender demanded a higher amount. Following this, on March 14 last year, a tender was invited to procure 3 crore smart meters.
Forty-two companies participated in this tender, but it was not opened. After the change of government in Tamil Nadu, some tenders invited during the previous regime were canceled, stating that there were irregularities in them, and this has happened in several departments.
In that category, this tender for 3 crore smart meters will also be canceled. In addition, tenders will be invited to procure 56 lakh smart meters for domestic connections and 50 lakh smart meters for industrial and commercial connections.
Electricity Board officials have said that approval will be given at the next board meeting after canceling the old tender and inviting new tenders.
Regarding this, they further said: As a first phase, it has been planned to install smart meters in the Chennai metropolitan areas. Already, one lakh smart meters have been installed in T. Nagar, and while radio frequency technology has been used in these meters, the same technology will be used in the new meters as well.
Through this, the electricity board will obtain electricity usage data from the meters. For smart meters, the Central government will provide only Rs. 900 per meter, and the electricity board will bear the remaining amount. Since, according to market conditions, one smart meter would cost Rs. 6,000, the price will be finalized in the tender itself.
