Smart metering solutions provide a host of benefits to both the consumers as well as the electricity distribution companies. While smart meters help the consumers in being charged fairly for the actual power consumed, discoms gain by saving on distribution losses and cutting manpower cost for meter reading.
The onslaught of coronavirus pandemic and consequent lockdowns, besides causing health and economic havoc, inflicted another kind of damage on many households – a significant, and in some cases even shocking, rise in their electricity consumption and billing.
Due to the strict lockdown in force, electricity departments were unable to conduct physical reading of the meters installed at the consumers’ premises. The public was, therefore, charged on the basis of their average consumption in the corresponding months of the previous years. The bills thus calculated were massive and left most of the consumers shell-shocked. The distribution companies (discoms), on their part, have been facing another kind of challenge – that of major losses in electricity distribution. With the advent of technology that makes calculating manual physical reading ineffectual, both these challenges can be met successfully.
- The distribution companies (discoms), on their part, have been facing another kind of challenge – that of major losses in electricity distribution.
- The public was charged on the basis of their average consumption in the corresponding months of the previous years. The bills thus calculated were massive and left most consumers shell-shocked.
- With prepaid meters and metering solutions offered by Xenius, the consumers can easily track their electricity consumption on their smartphones on a real-time basis.
- Because of the multiple advantages of a prepaid meter over a conventional, static meter, it is being used by as many as 17 electricity distribution companies in the country.
With prepaid meters and metering solutions offered by Xenius, the consumers can easily track their electricity consumption on their smartphones on a real-time basis. With this revolutionary solution, the consumer gets accurate data sent through a secure smart data network, with no scope for estimated bills. The system also helps notify low recharge, exceeded consumption or overload thus ensuring smooth operations, both for the consumers as well as the discoms. It also gives the consumers relief from standing in long queues to get their bills rectified. Everything becomes transparent. Among the key benefits offered by smart metering solutions are:
● Alert/notification – Consumers may monitor their usage in real time on Xenius mobile app (iOS and Android) and can also set up custom alerts/notifications.
● Bill generation – Complete transparent billing mechanism – with maintenance charges, grid and DG charges as applicable.
● Real-time monitoring – A hundred per cent contactless prepaid metering providing real-time updates for homeowners and real estate developers/estate management agencies.
● Prevent revenue loss – With real-time analysis, one gets notified of any system malfunction and can also check the health of the system frequently.
Besides all these benefits, the smart prepaid metering solution also saves money on infrastructure as it is compatible with almost every meter making installation a non-issue. Because of the multiple advantages of a prepaid meter over a conventional, static meter, it is being used by as many as 17 electricity distribution companies in the country.
Prepaid meters can also play a major role in reducing all sorts of technical and commercial losses as their collection efficiency is 100 per cent. Countries like South Africa and Bangladesh have also started using these meters. While saving precious energy for the discoms, they also offer another bonanza – enhancement of revenue that comes by eliminating their cost on manpower.
