BSES to install 5 mn smart meters worth Rs 50-60 bn in Delhi by FY25

BSES Rajdhani Power (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power (BYPL) have announced their plans to roll out a tender for the installation of 5 million smart meters in July 2023. The project is estimated to be worth around Rs 50-60 billion. The tendering process is currently underway and is expected to be finalised by July 2023. The implementation of the smart meters is scheduled to begin in the September-December quarter of 2023, with the goal of completing the deployment of 5 million pre-paid/post-paid smart meters by FY25.BSES aims to leverage its increased requirements and scale of operation to achieve cost-effective deployment of the smart meters. The company intends to achieve per node life cycle costs similar to or lower than recent tenders in other utilities. Recent tenders in utilities such as Bihar and BEST Mumbai have shown per node life cycle costs ranging from Rs 11,000 to 11,500. By partnering with smart meter manufacturers and system integrators, BSES aims to ensure the quality and reliability of the smart meter service.The names of the partners involved in the project will be disclosed in due time. However, prominent meter manufacturers like Genus, Secure, and HPL, as well as technology companies like EDF, have already shown interest in the ongoing tender process.The BSES smart meter project follows the operational expenditure (opex) model, which is favored by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) and the Ministry of Power (MoP). BRPL and BYPL, joint ventures between Reliance Infrastructure and the Delhi government, are responsible for ensuring reliable power supply to 5 million consumers and 20 million residents in South, West, East, and Central Delhi.