Karnataka: KERC Issues Rules To Transit Towards Smart Meters

Karnataka: KERC Issues Rules To Transit Towards Smart Meters

The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has announced new regulations to retrofit existing meters with smart modules. These regulations are titled the KERC (Smart Modules For Existing Digital/Static Meters) Guidelines, 2024.

The state power regulator noted that when phasing out existing digital and static meters compliant with IS 15884 is not feasible due to their remaining useful life, upgrading these meters should be considered. This can be achieved by using appropriate add-on modules and software, enabling these meters to function as part of an integrated metering network.

According to the new guidelines, distribution companies (discoms) must conduct a thorough assessment of the residual life of all existing meters before integrating smart modules. The KERC emphasized that this assessment should ensure the existing meters have sufficient operational life left to justify the investment in smart module integration.

Regarding the costs involved, the KERC guidelines stated that a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis should be conducted to evaluate the economic feasibility of integration. This analysis should consider factors such as installation costs, maintenance expenses, potential revenue gains, and other benefits from improved metering accuracy and data analysis.

The guidelines also require discoms to ensure that these smart modules are compatible with the various meters available in their operational areas. For maintenance purposes, the meters and modules should be easily swappable in the field, enabling straightforward and cost-effective upkeep.

The KERC guidelines advocate for advanced measurement capabilities in these meters. “Retrofitting existing digital or static energy meters with add-on modules to read meter data should be equipped with advanced measurement capabilities, allowing for accurate monitoring and recording of energy consumption patterns. These features should include essential functionalities such as interval data recording, tamper-proofing, and basic communication capabilities.”

Additionally, the KERC guidelines stress the importance of effective communication for transmitting metering data to utility providers and enabling remote monitoring and control functions.