Power Consumers Without Automatic Meter To Be Penalised In Karnataka

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The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC), in its latest suo motu order, has asked all the open access power consumers in the state to install Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) facilities on their premises before August 1, 2023. The Commission said that after the scheduled date, the errant consumers not complying with the order could face a penalty for defaulting.

It comes after the Commission, earlier on February 1, 2023, issued an order to set the deadline of April 1, 2023. The fresh order mandates all open-access consumers, including LT consumers, to comply with the order in the revised timeline of August 1, 2023. In Karnataka, all consumers with 100 Kw or more of contracted power demand are eligible for open access. 

Leaving aside the open access segment, the order is otherwise enforceable to the High Tension (HT) and EHT consumers and generators, who must install these meters to avoid penalties. The Commission said that as these meters aid in data communication for the generators and consumers and help in energy accounting. 

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The order also said that bills for such transactions under the meter should be automated from April 1, 2023. “Non-compliance of this direction of the Commission by 01.08.2023 would be penalized. Wherever AMR compatible meters are installed, the bills for such transactions should be automated from April 1, 2023, without waiting for an extended date and manual intervention for reading the data shall be avoided in such cases,” the order read. 

The Commission clarified that all the LT domestic solar rooftop project consumers would be excluded from the ambit of the order. 

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