A plan is underway to install 8.8 million smart prepaid meters in phases across the country, as part of the government’s plan to bring entire power consumers under a smart prepaid metering system.
Power distribution companies are scheduled to set up 22,26,600 smart prepaid meters in the fiscal year (FY) 2020-21, reported BSS.
By FY 2020-21, companies that will set up such meters include: Bangladesh Power Development Board(BPD) with 11,00,000 meters, Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) with 2,50,000 meters, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC) with 76,600 meters, Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (Desco) with 2,00,000 meters, West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL) with 2,00,000 meters, and Northern Electric Supply Company Limited (Nesco) with 4,00,000 meters.
State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said: “The government has a plan to bring all consumers under a smart pre-payment metering system aimed at reducing system loss, pilferage, and overbilling in power consumption across the country.”
Six distribution companies in the power division will complete installations of 20,20,000 smart pre-payment meters within the current FY2019-20, he added.
He said that the government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has beenworking relentlessly to bring all citizens under power coverage since the nation’s generation capacity has now reached 22,787 megawatts.
“We are also working hard to supplyuninterrupted electricity to all.”
Director General of Power Cell Mohammad Hossain said: “Distribution companies installed 28,86,548 smart pre-payment meters across the country in October 2019, of which BPDB installed 11,32,083; BREB installed 8,10,590; DPDC installed 4,35,552; Desco installed 2,93,838; WZPDCL installed 1,95,591; and Nesco installed 18,894.”
The government has decided to provide customers with anopportunity to procure smart pre-payment meters from the open market, as its demand has considerably increased, an official statement said.
The decision will create liability among consumers, create competitive markets, and avoid huge investments in the sector.
To this end, the government has formulated a policy which will help consumers procure quality smart pre-payment meters from the open market through the implementation of vending work, and the installation and smooth supply of necessary services.
