The Hindu : New Delhi News : New metering to start working soon

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Wednesday, Oct 31, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

New metering to start working soon

Staff Reporter

Now load-shedding will be limited to areas that default on power payment

BSES has already begun tapping power theft using DT metering
The NDPL still working on the project, needs to install 3,500 meters

NEW DELHI: With the process of installing distribution transformer metering (DT metering) to gauge theft at the distribution transformer level by all three discoms nearing completion, load-shedding will soon be limited to areas that default on payment.

While the BSES has already begun tapping power theft using DT metering as was mandated by the Delhi Government’s Power Department, its counterpart the NDPL is still working on the project.

Taking cognisance of the inconvenience to customers who pay their electricity bills on time by unscheduled power cuts, the Power Department had asked the discoms to ensure that non-theft areas are not subjected to load-shedding.

“We have begun work on installation of DT metering and expect the system to start soon,” said an NDPL official.

“As of now load-shedding is done at the feeder level, which makes it difficult to zero in on high theft areas. Since 2000-3000 connections are attached to one feeder, identifying and segregating the theft prone areas from those who pay their bills becomes difficult,” he said.

While the NDPL needs to install about 3,500 DT meters, the BSES has more than 9,000 such meters in its area of distribution.

“DT metering will not only help us cut down losses through theft, but will also help us arrange power on a continuous basis. Though it requires a huge investment, the process is beneficial in the long run,” the NDPL official said.

The BSES officials point out that with the introduction of DT metering, the company has been able to improve, upgrade and augment the infrastructure apart from controlling power theft.

“The BSES has deployed DT Metering – across all its 9,000 distribution transformers. These meters installed on distribution transformer are for the purpose of energy accounting, monitoring supply quality and reliability. From this we can gauge the level of energy supplied and billed and thus finding the quantum of power theft in the area,” officials said.

“In the second phase, the BSES plans to connect automatic meter readers with DT meters. This will then supply real time information to the central BSES control server.”

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