The Power department has decided to explore whether the Centrally-assisted Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), under which smart meters with prepayment mode are to be rolled out, can be modified to suit the specific requirements of Kerala.
The Principal Secretary (Power) and the Chairman and Managing Director, Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), have been directed to examine the possibility of making ‘‘structural changes’‘ to RDSS and whether the State should approach the Centre in this regard, Minister for Electricity K. Krishnankutty said on Friday.
The move, apparently, comes in the wake of the CPI(M)-led officers’ and workers’ organisations in the KSEB objecting to the roll-out plans for ‘prepaid’ smart meters. They had petitioned Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Mr. Krishnankutty, saying the methodology suggested for the implementation would open the gates for private players in the power distribution sector, to which the State is strongly opposed.
A preliminary assessment showed that the peculiarities of the State's power sector need to be taken into account when implementing RDSS, said Mr. Krishnankutty. The course of action will be decided on the basis of the report submitted by the Power Secretary and the KSEB CMD, he said.
In March, the Centre had cleared a proposal submitted by the State for the roll-out of RDSS. The Centre had approved a project cost of ₹10,475.03 crore, which includes ₹8,175.05 crore for the roll-out of smart meters working in prepayment mode.
Mr. Krishnankutty had informed the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday that the meters will be introduced in two phases. As many as 37 lakh consumers will be covered in the first phase, and 96 lakh consumers in the second, he said. The KSEB has appointed Central government-agency REC Power Development and Consultancy Ltd as the project implementation agency, he said.
