Panaji: Defending the state’s smart meter project, chief electrical engineer Stephen Fernandes on Thursday said that the installation of the meters will be completed by Aug 2027.The department aims to reduce power losses through smart metering and the project is being opposed for political mileage, Fernandes said during a Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) public hearing for North Goa.
“Smart metering is the need of the hour, as it helps consumers track their daily power consumption,” he said and added that the technology will improve power consumption monitoring and transparency.Fernandes said that smart meters will not alter the method of recording electricity consumption, as Goa already uses electronic meters. “Smart metering will not change consumption recording. It will only provide better insights, improve efficiency, and enhance transparency,” he said.
Fernandes urged critics of the smart metering project to stop comparing Goa’s project with those in other states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. “If you see the other states, their meters were electro-magnetic, old technology. In Goa, the billing will not come high or low. Here, consumption will not increase,” he said.Chief electrical engineer said that consumers would be able to time their power consumption effectively.“The cost of power may increase, but the units consumed by customers will be controlled and brought lower,” he said.Fernandes emphasised that smart meters would help both consumers and the electricity department understand usage patterns more clearly, reduce billing errors, and strengthen accountability. “The system is very transparent and is the need of the hour,” he said.The electricity department plans to install 7,50,356 smart electricity meters across the state at a total cost of Rs 890.11 crore. The project is being implemented under the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Provider (AMISP) model, wherein payments will be made on a per-meter, per-month basis over 93 months, instead of upfront capital expenditure.Addressing questions during the hearing about underground cabling, the chief electrical engineer said it is “a good project” that will benefit the public. He acknowledged the failure of aerial bunched cabling, and said, “Whenever there is a fault, we could not trace the fault,” adding that corrective measures are being taken.
