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`Pillar Box' for general consumers by next year

Staff Reporter

Aim is to reduce Aggregate Technical and Commercial losses

BHUBANESWAR: The Central Electricity Supply Utility of Orissa (CESU) has decided to extend installation of `Pillar Box' for general consumers by next year.

"We have started installation of the boxes on the poles and sufficient improvement in meter reading has been observed. Initially, the boxes will be installed only for commercial consumers," Debaraj Biswal, Chief Executive Officer of CESU, said here on Tuesday. Pillar Box, a display meter, was being provided outside consumers' premises under the Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (APDRP). It was intended to reduce Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT and C) losses to some 10 per cent. "Some 90,000 commercial consumers have been identified in our limit. At first, pillar boxes will be provided to commercial consumers in urban areas. The installation is expected to be completed in five to six months," Mr. Biswal said.

He said these display meters, which were prevalent in western countries and some north Indian states, would be set up for general consumers by the next year.

Tenders called for

The Ministry of Power approved four schemes for Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal and Paradip circle with the total estimated cost of Rs. 296 crores, of which the company arranged Rs. 148 crores towards counterpart funding from the Power Finance Corporation, Mr. Biswal said. Tenders were already floated for augmentation of lines and substations in city areas like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal and Paradip with an estimated cost of Rs. 100 crores and the investment would improve the quality of supply and reduce technical loss, he said.

On pilferage of power, Mr. Biswal said energy audit was proposed to be taken up for all the 33 KV and 11 KV feeders and for each of the distribution transformers. Steps were being taken for separation of urban, rural and industrial feeders, he added.

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