Power Ministry Urges States: Accelerate Smart Meter Rollout

New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) The Power Ministry has asked all the states and union territories to continue the installation of smart electricity meters in areas that have a communication network.

The Central Electricity Authority (Installation and Operation of Meters) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, mandate that all consumers in areas with a communication network shall be supplied electricity with smart meters conforming to the relevant Indian Standards (IS), within the timelines as provided by the Central Government.

The implementation of smart metering works across the country is being done under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) as well as under various State schemes.

The deadline of the RDSS scheme is March, 2028.

The ministry stated in a letter to states and union territories on Wednesday that the installation of smart meters is mandated through the statutory provisions irrespective of the mode of payment (pre or postpaid), which is essentially a functional configuration.


The installation of smart meters provides for transparent and accurate billing for consumers, with the facility of consumption monitoring, it noted.

It also facilitates an ecosystem for energy transition and leveraging the benefits of time-of-day tariff, which would enable shifting loads to non-peak timings, thereby reducing electricity bills, the ministry stated.

For distribution utilities, it would help in enhanced energy accounting and operational efficiency, it pointed out.

Further, considering the benefits offered to consumers, through convenience of recharge in small denominations, and distribution utilities, through advance revenue collection and reduced working capital requirement, the deployment of smart meters under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) is being supported for prepaid mode, it stated.

"... all States/ UTs are requested to continue and accelerate smart meter installations across all consumer categories, in line with the extant Regulations and the benefits of smart meters are leveraged both by the consumers and the distribution utilities," it stated.