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Delhi Government departments ordered to install pre-paid electricity meters

Staff Reporter

The new order will come into effect from July 1

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Government's Power Department has announced that all State and Central Government departments and autonomous bodies having a load of above 45 kW will have to install pre-paid electricity meters.

The order, passed here on Monday, will come into effect from July 1 and is aimed at solving the problem of government departments not paying their electricity dues on time. Delhi Transco had suggested use of pre-paid electricity cards and automated system of calculating power consumption to ensure that the Government departments pay for the electricity they consume.

According to the order, all departments and autonomous organisations under the Delhi Government with single-phase and three-phase electricity load below 45 kW will be required to switch over to the pre-paid metering system. The pre-paid meters at the different locations would be identified and installed by the power distribution companies.

"For all the Government departments and autonomous bodies having load above 45 kW including high tension loads, the discoms would switch over to the automatic meter reading system and settlement of pending dues could be done on the basis of advance drawal of contingent bills," the order reads.

The average load of the past four months would be intimated to each of these offices where the pre-paid meters are installed and the discoms will conduct orientation programme for the departments where the pre-paid meters are to be installed.

"The head of department or office will fix the limit of electricity which could be consumed, based on the previous four month's consumption so that a check on electricity consumption can be kept as a measure of energy conservation. As a part of this drive, the departments may also pursue with the Public Works Department or the agency responsible for maintaining electrical installation to switchover to CFL lamps and electronic chokes and tube-lights to reduce energy consumption," the order states.

The discoms will be held responsible for malfunctioning meters. The pre-paid meters will be programmed to send out warning signs that the amount of electricity credit is low.

In the case of the automatic meter reading system (AMR), the department would be sent electronically generated bill for consumption of electricity on various units identified to function under AMR system. "It will be the duty and responsibility of the Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) to download this information between the first week of every month and process the case for release of payment to the discoms," the order states. The payments have to be released to the discoms within a month.

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