Smart Prepaid Meters are being installed in Bihar from 2019.
The State Electricity Department contracted EESL to install smart prepaid meters in Bihar.
EESL stands for Energy Efficiency Services Limited.
The State Electricity Department aims to install 23 lakh smart prepaid meters in the coming one and a half years.
Currently, EESL is installing 1000 smart prepaid meters daily but the current installation rate will not achieve the goal in desired time.
Hence, EESL has decided to install 3000 smart prepaid meters daily in Bihar.
Read also: Smart Prepaid Meters are to be installed for free in Bihar
Why is Bihar installing Smart Prepaid Meters?
Currently, the state electricity department is facing a 30% loss.
Electricity Theft is the prime reason for the loss.
As per a report from a local newspaper, the state electricity companies faced a loss of Rs 4673 crore in the year 2020-21.
The below table lists the amount of loss Bihar Electricity Department has faced since 2015.
| 2015-16 | 1073.61 |
| 2016-17 | 1418.81 |
| 2017-18 | 3071.07 |
| 2018-19 | 2408.71 |
| 2019-20 | 2947.72 |
| 2020-21 | 4673.00 |
The state electricity department is currently purchasing the electricity at Rs 4 per unit, however, selling it to the consumers at Rs 7.44 per unit.
In recent years, the number of consumers has risen and so has the amount of electricity theft.
Experts believe Smart Prepaid Meters will reduce electricity theft in comparison to the Electronic Energy Meter.
How Smart Prepaid Meters Reduce Electricity Theft?
Smart Energy Meter works in a prepaid model.
In the Prepaid Model, one has to pay first before using the service.
As much as you use the service, its respective price will be deducted from your prepaid account.
Due to its prepaid model, Smart Prepaid Meters will reduce electricity theft.
I found a nice video on YouTube that explains, How smart prepaid meters are working in Bihar.
