BSES to award contract for 5 million smart meters by July 2023.

BSES Rajdhani Power (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power (BYPL) recently said that the Discoms will roll out the tender of installing 5 million smart meters worth around ₹5,000-6,000 crore in July 2023.

The tendering process for the smart meter project is currently underway and is slated to be finalised by July 2023. BSES plans to commence on-ground implementation in the September-December quarter of 2023, with a target to complete the deployment of 5 million pre-paid/post-paid smart meters by FY25.

To ensure a cost-effective system, BSES aims to leverage its enhanced requirements and scale of operation to achieve per node life cycle costs similar to or lower than recent tenders in other utilities, it added.

When contacted, a BSES spokesperson said, “We are a committed world-class smart power distribution company working in the interest of 5 million consumers and 20 million residents in Delhi.”

One of the primary goals of the BSES smart meter project is to deliver a more efficient and cost-effective system for its 5 million consumers. Recent tenders in various utilities, including Bihar and BEST Mumbai, have revealed per node life cycle costs ranging from ₹11,000 to ₹11,500. With its larger requirements and scale of operation, BSES aims to make this investment highly cost-effective.

To ensure the quality and reliability of the service, BSES is partnering with several smart meter manufacturers and system integrators. The names of these partners will be disclosed in due time. Notably, prominent meter manufacturers such as Genus, Secure, and HPL, along with technology companies like EDF, have already shown keen interest in the ongoing tender process.

The BSES smart meter project follows the operational expenditure (opex) model, which is favoured by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) and the Ministry of Power (MoP).

BRPL and BYPL are joint ventures between Reliance Infrastructure and the Delhi government, with a shareholding ratio of 51:49. The Discoms ensure reliable power supply to 5 million consumers and 20 million residents in South, West, East, and Central Delhi.

HBL