It was informed in Parliament that over 7 lakh smart meters have been sanctioned for pilot smart grid projects under the National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM).
In a written reply, Union power minister R.K. Singh stated that 7.23 lakh smart have been sanctioned for deployment in four pilot projects under the NSGM purview. (see table).
The Jharkhand project is scheduled to commission in March 2024, while the remaining three are expected to complete by March 2022.
While 7.23 lakh smart meters have been sanctioned under four NSGM pilot projects, the actual number of installations, as of June 30, 2021, stood at 33,118.
According to official statistics independently released by the Union power ministry, as of June 30, 2021, a total of 33,118 smart meters were installed under these four projects. While the Rajasthan project has seen the deployment of 23,675 meters, the remaining 9,443 relate to the Chandigarh (SD-5) project.
The total approved cost of the four projects is around Rs.465 crore that includes Central government support of Rs.139 crore. As against this, the actual amount released by the Centre for these projects was only around Rs.18 crore, as of June 30, 2021.
Here is an update on the various projects
Chandigarh: In view of the privatization of Chandigarh city, it was learnt in May this year that the Chandigarh (Entire City, except SD-5) smart grid project was likely to be scrapped. However, it now appears that the project is very much underway. An empowered committee that met on June 7, 2021, even approved the revised project cost (of Rs.119.58 crore), which is yet to receive concurrence from the Union power ministry.
Also read: Chandigarh Smart Grid Project: Nearly 6,000 Smart Meters Installed
Ranchi: Physical work on the Ranchi project has yet to begin. The project has got slightly delayed due to a revised detailed project report by state discom Jharkhand Bijli Vitaran Nigam Ltd (JBVNL). The revised proposal has been considered by the power ministry, subject to conditions, it is learnt. The pilot smart grid project aims to cover 3.6 lakh consumers in Ranchi city.
Rajasthan: This project will cover six urban towns of Baran, Bharatpur, Bundi, Dholpur, Jhalawar, Karauli, falling under the purview of Jaipur Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Ltd (JVVNL). The project picked up pace in Q1 of FY22, with a total of 10,374 smart meters installed in the period. As of June 30, 2021, a total of 23,675 meters were installed. The project, in its entirety, aims to deploy around 1.5 lakh smart meters.
Chandigarh (SD-5): The Chandigarh (Sub-Division 5) project is the smallest of the four pilot projects, covering 29,433 consumers. Till June 30, 2021, the number of smart meters installed stood at 9,443 as against the 29,500 (approx) sanctioned. The Rs.28.58-crore project entails Central government support of Rs.8.57 crore, out of which Rs.7.57 crore was released as of June 30, 2021.
Odisha project dropped
A pilot smart grid project was to come up in Rourkela city in Odisha. The project, covering around 87,000 consumers, even entered the tendering stage. There also were multiple timeline extensions in the bidding process. However, in May 2021, for reasons that were not immediately available, Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (the nodal agency) scrapped the project, acting upon directions of the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC).
(Featured photograph for illustration only)
