Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
The Vidyut Viniyogadarula Aikyavedi has demanded that the Andhra Pradesh Government cancel its smart power meter contract with the Adani Group and halt their installation in homes and businesses statewide. At a press conference at MB Vignana Kendram in Vijayawada, convenor MV Anjaneyulu criticised the Centre’s directive to discoms to replace conventional postpaid power metres with smart ones by March 31 2025. He said that the move would impose higher tariffs through the Time-of-Day system, which charges more during peak hours (6 to10 pm).
The proposed system’s shift to prepaid billing could lead to power cuts if consumers fail to recharge on time, he warned. He also raised concerns over reduced transparency in billing, as detailed monthly statements might be eliminated. He said the government is using the Design-Build-Finance-Own-Operate-Transfer model to privatise state Discoms to benefit private entities like the Adani Group at the expense of public interest.
It is reported that the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation has recently cancelled a global tender for smart meters due to the high price quoted by Adani Energy Solutions Limited (AESL). AESL was the lowest bidder for package 1 of the tender covering eight districts including Chennai and involved installation of 82 lakh smart meters.