The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Meter reading based on radio frequency soon

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Saturday, Nov 27, 2010
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Meter reading based on radio frequency soon

Swathi.V

HYDERABAD: The Central Power Distribution Company will soon experiment with meter reading based on radio frequencies (RF Meters), to fall in line with the Central Government's ‘Advanced Metering Infrastructure' mandate.

As a pilot project, the company is introducing new meters compliant with radio frequency technology in a few areas under the Greenlands division. Depending upon the success of the project and correction of errors, the meters will be introduced in high-loss areas and VIP areas in the city, and eventually replicated all over the State, informed officials from the department.

The decision has been taken by a task force committee constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief General Manager, CPDCL Metro Zone, after a study of various automatic meter reading technologies being adopted by metropolitan cities. So far, Maharashtra is the only State to have installed RF Meters though in a limited way.

The company will receive 700 meters from ECIL, each costing between Rs.8,000 and Rs.10,000, for the pilot project.

The new meters will preclude the necessity of the department personnel entering the consumer's premises and taking down the figures of power consumption.

Instead, the meters will automatically generate the figures upon receiving a radio signal from the transceiver encapsulated in the Spot Billing Machine (SBM) on the other end.

The SBM, a hand-held device, will use radio frequencies to draw the readings once the person enters its pre-designated geographical range. “Each hand-held device will be assigned around 1,000 meters grouped according to their geographical location. The devices would already have a database of meter IDs and service numbers.

Once the person enters the area and sends a request, the meters will start generating the readings automatically,” says a senior official from the department.

The system will prevent power thefts apart from solving the problems pertaining to locked doors and forbidden entry for the department personnel, informed officials.

The company is also mulling over the installation of prepaid meters whereby the customers will be issued smart-cards at a price. Once the balance nears exhaustion, electronic alerts will be issued from the meter to notify the user.

Installation of the meters in government departments is being considered, as they are the most frequent defaulters.

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