Smart Meter Rollout Stalls: Delays and Progress in India's RDSS Initiative

Under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), India aims to install 20.33 crore smart meters. So far, only 99.51 lakh meters have been installed due to various challenges. The Ministry of Power is actively working with states to expedite the rollout, especially prioritizing government and high-load consumers.

Despite ambitious targets under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), India's smart meter implementation faces significant delays. The Parliament was informed that merely 99.51 lakh of the planned 20.33 crore smart meters have been installed, accounting for just 4.89 percent of the target.

Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik pointed out several challenges impeding progress, including the novelty of smart meters, tender issuance delays, and issues with data validation and consumer indexing. Additional delays were noted in testing and approval processes such as field installation and factory acceptance tests.

To address these setbacks, the Ministry of Power is conducting regular coordination meetings with states and distribution utilities. The focus is on accelerating tender processes and encouraging installations in government and industrial sectors. Consumer engagement and confidence-building exercises are also part of the strategy to ensure a seamless transition to smart metering.