The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is exploring the possibility of extending the 'self-meter reading' facility to its consumers.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the KSEB had allowed consumers in containment zones to take the reading on the electricity meters on their own and submit it online for billing as KSEB staff could not access the meters.
Now, the government-run utility is looking at whether the system can be introduced on a wider scale.
Initially, the 'self-meter reading' facility will be piloted in one urban electrical section and one rural electrical section each in the four distribution regions of the KSEB. The facility will be available to consumers who have registered their mobile numbers with the KSEB. If found successful, it will be extended across all the electrical sections.
According to a senior official, the Power department had wanted the KSEB to explore whether self-meter reading could be incorporated as a permanent mechanism.
Subsequently, the director board of the KSEB cleared the proposal on the basis of recommendations submitted by the Chief Engineer (IT), KSEB. The finer details of the scheme are yet to be worked out. The KSEB is in the process of selecting the urban and rural sections where it is to be tried out.
