Punitive action initiated against power consumers for tampering with smart meters: KPDCL
Srinagar: In an attempt to check the power pilferage, the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has booked a number of commercial and domestic consumers in Srinagar for tempering smart energy meters.
The tempering, officials said, was verified by the department’s approved meter testing lab at Bemina using smart meters that were initially seen to have been tempered.
In addition to having their power supply cut off, the erring consumers, they said, have also been charged in accordance with the legal procedures.
Despite repeated attempts, the Chief Engineer KPDCL could not be reached for comment. However, a senior official while confirming meter tampering reports in Srinagar, said that a number of consumers, both domestic and commercial, have been booked.
He urged the consumers to not tamper with smart meters, warning of severe legal action if anyone is found engaged in power theft by manipulating smart meter circuitry.
“We cannot expect better power supply when consumers resort to power theft. This is how the energy deficit arises. The department does not have a magic wand to meet the demands of the consumers in such situations; therefore this unlawful conduct even affects people who use the energy judiciously,” he added.
The department’s testing facility at Bemina, he said, receives the smart meters following preliminary testing in order to confirm tempering.“Following verification of the tampering with smart meter circuitry, the inspection team removes it right away and sends it to the Bemina scientific testing facility for double-checking. Then, the legal process starts. We charge the erring consumer and quickly cut off his/her power supply,” said the official.
Elaborating, he said that a commercial consumer at Upper Soura was booked last week after the inspection team found clear tempering with the smart energy meter.
A consumer with code 32114 was booked during the inspection of the 3-phase energy meter of his commercial installation. The preliminary testing of the energy meter shows clear signs of tempering and polycarbonate seals of the meter were found open.
The energy meter was isolated from the circuit; and the meter whose cover was open with clear signs of fiddling with circuitry, was confiscated by the inspection team.
“The meter was tested at the meter testing lab at Bemina and the report received from the lab confirmed the case of meter tampering with the percentage error of -61.87. The consumer was booked and legal action according to the relevant sections law initiated,” he said.
During the Inspection of the single-phase smart energy meter, a domestic consumer under consumer code 0312 at SK colony Qamarwari, was booked after the team found the box of the smart meter was open to slow down its reading.
The consumer had then fixed back the cap with the help of some adhesive. Another domestic consumer under consumer code 12202 at Upper Soura was found to have resorted to permanent tapping through the streetlight switch bypassing the smart meter. The tapping was then concealed under the concrete.
Another consumer had installed sub-meters on his own to different installations operating within the commercial complex to record energy consumed, the owner of the complex besides charging them for rent, was charging them separately for the electricity as per the consumption recorded by the sub-meters.
Nine sub-meters were found installed in the complex; the consumer was using direct lines to illegally feed the commercial complex.
Two domestic consumers under consumer codes 2434 and 17659 were found involved in tampering at Firdousabad Batamaloo.
