The total number of smart meters installed in the country, as of June 30, 2026, stood at 7.24 crore, it was informed in Parliament.
In a recent written reply by Shripad Naik, Minister of State for Power, it was informed that a total of 7.24 crore smart meters (including consumer, distribution transformer [DT] and feeder) were installed in the country, as of June 30, 2026.
This included 5.73 crore smart meters under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) with the remaining under other initiatives including the National Smart Grid Mission.
Under RDSS, a total of 20.33 crore smart meters have been sanctioned comprising 19.79 crore consumer meters, 52.53 lakh DT meters and 2.05 lakh feeder meters. The sunset date of RDSS is currently set at March 31, 2028.
Regarding the apparently slow progress on smart meter rollouts, the reply cited the following factors:
- Initial delays in issuing model Request for Proposal (RFP) as smart metering being new technological initiative, establishment of test bed and empanelment of vendors for smart metering works.
- Delay in tendering and awarding of works. Few utilities required longer time period for obtaining board approval issuance of tender documents etc.
- Delay in signing of Contract and Direct Debit Facility (DDF) agreement by utilities.
- Few utilities faced challenges in implementation in public private partnership (PPP) mode.
- Inadequate consumer engagement exercise.
To address the aforementioned challenges, various advisories and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been issued by the power ministry, Parliament was informed.
These include incentivising consumers for prepaid meter installation through rebate in bills; no penalty on consumers based on maximum demand recorded by smart meters; mechanism for recovery of past arrears in easy instalments; and installation of check meters for enhancing confidence in the accuracy of smart meters, etc.
Pick-up in pace
The reply observed that smart metering works under RDSS have picked up pace following regular monitoring. The reply elaborated that works are monitored through the nodal agencies — namely Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC) and REC Ltd, and an Inter-Ministerial Monitoring Committee headed by Secretary (Power) has been constituted to monitor their progress.
At the state level, the Distribution Reforms Committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary of the respective State, oversees and monitors the implementation of the scheme. In addition, regular review meetings are held with the states/distribution utilities and Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Providers (AMISPs) to facilitate expeditious implementation of the sanctioned works.
Leading states
The top 10 states with respect to smart meters installed under RDSS, as of June 30, 2026, are presented below:
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