Kerala State Electricity Board kicks off smart meter roll-out under alternative implementation model

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has started the roll-out of smart meters under an alternative implementation model approved by the State government.

The first meters were piloted on two government connections under the Puthenchantha electrical section limits in Thiruvananthapuram district and seven feeder meters at the 220 kV substation at Kalamassery in Ernakulam district.

Under the implementation plan, meters will be installed for government consumers, high-tension (HT) consumers, and on the distribution transformers, 11 kV and 22 kV feeders, and at Electrical Division boundaries of the KSEB in the first phase.

The KSEB will resume the roll-out for the remaining government consumers and its own feeders from the second week of August. The power utility hopes to complete the installation for these categories by November 2025.

Close to 1.5 lakh single phase meters will be installed at government offices across the State. Tests are in progress on 50,000 meters. The KSEB is aiming at completing the installation of transformer border meters by March 2026 and HT consumer meters by August 2026.

While general consumers are not included in the initial phases, the KSEB has drawn up a plan for equipping them also with the smart meters.

The original plan to implement the smart meters on TOTEX (Total Expenditure) model had kicked up a major row with power sector unions alleging that it would adversely impact consumers and pave the way for privatisation in power distribution. Subsequently, the Kerala government had approved a CAPEX (capital expenditure) model under which the meters will be installed in multiple phases by the KSEB. In line with this decision, the KSEB also invited bids for the supply of 3 lakh meters.

Work order was issued for installing the meters within an 18-month period and maintaining them for 72 months.