Lok Sabha Question No. 2574 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-16
Subject: Smart Meter National Programme
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2574

## ANSWERED ON 16.03.2023

## SMART METER NATIONAL PROGRAMME

2574.  SHRI MOHANBHAI KALYANJI KUNDARIYA:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) the salient features of Smart Meter National Programme (SMNP);
- (b) the status of the implementation of SMNP scheme since inception to till date in Gujarat, district-wise;
- (c) the details of the measures taken with regard to the protection of personal data of consumers using the smart meters;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  taken  measures  to  create  awareness  among  the general public; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI R.K. SINGH)

- (a) : At present, Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) has a nationwide Smart  Meter  program  under  implementation,  by  Government  of  India.  The  salient features of (RDSS) are as given at Annexure-I.
- (b) : Details of smart meters sanctioned for the state of Gujarat under RDSS is shown below:

| Sl. No.   | DISCOM   | Pre-paid smart consumer meter   | Smart meter   | DT   | Smart Feeder meter   |
|-----------|----------|---------------------------------|---------------|------|----------------------|
| 1         | UGVCL    | 35,20,251                       | 52,892        |      | 5,229                |
| 2         | MGVCL    | 32,99,991                       | 56,129        |      | **                   |
| 3         | PGVCL    | 55,83,509                       | 1,09,130      |      | **                   |
| 4         | DGVCL    | 40,78,120                       | 82,336        |      | **                   |
|           | TOTAL    | 1,64,81,871                     | 3,00,487      |      | 5,229                |

Currently,  the  Discoms  are  in  process  of  tendering  and  award  of  sanctioned  smart metering works.

..........2.

(c) : A  Model  Standard  Bidding  Documents (SBD) for  implementation of Smart Metering projects in the country has been pre-pared and released for adoption by the States/Discoms  for  nationwide  rollout  of  smart  meters  under  Revamped  Distribution Sector  Scheme  (RDSS).  The  SBD  covers  the  detailed  clauses  for  data  protection  of consumers.  The measures given in SBD with regard to the protection of personal data of consumers using the smart meters are given at Annexure-II.

(d) & (e) : Awareness of consumers is vital for the success of Smart Metering rollout. Nodal Agencies (REC and PFC) have been advised to sensitize Implementing Agencies to  focus  on  consumer  education  and  awareness  during  the  rollout.  Implementing Agencies  to  carefully  deal  with  the  nitty-gritty  of  consumer  experience  for  better acceptance of Smart Meters. A survey has been conducted for assessing perceptible impact  of  Consumer  Awareness  Campaign.  A  smart  meter  mobile  application  for  prepaid  smart  meters  has  been  launched  to  enhance  consumer  experience  and  their engagement.  An  Expert  Group  has  been  constituted  whose  main  function,  amongst other, is Consumer interface management including awareness / engagement campaigns.  Further,  as  per  Standard  Bidding  Document  (SBD)  under  Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), there is a provision for Consumer Engagement by AMISP as under:

- I. AMISP should develop a consumer engagement plan for smooth implementation of AMI  system.  The  plan  at  the  minimum  should  include  consumer  engagement activities to be undertaken at Utility's headquarter, division and sub-division level as well  as  communication  and  media  plan  for  the  same.  The  plan  should  include educating consumers about the pre-paid recharge mechanism, benefits of pre-paid meters, potential usage of Smart Meters data for consumers, etc.
- II. Utility  shall  provide  necessary  inputs  for  developing  a  comprehensive  consumer engagement plan;
- III. The Utility shall implement consumer engagement plan with support of AMISP. This would  include  running  media  campaign  to  raise  awareness  and  counter  myths around smart metering prior to installation etc.

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ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2574 ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 16.03.2023

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The following are the Salient features of Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS):

-  Govt. of India has launched Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) vide OM dtd.  20.07.2021  with  an  outlay  of  Rs.  3,03,758  crores  with  an  estimated  Gross Budgetary  Support  of  Rs.  97,631  crores.  The  scheme  aims  to  reduce  the  AT&C losses to PAN India levels of 12-15% and ACS-ARR gap to zero by 2024-25.
-  The scheme has two parts: Part-A includes upgradation of distribution infrastructure and  Pre-paid  Smart  Metering  &  System  Metering  and  Part-B  covers  Training  & Capacity Building and other Enabling & Supporting Activities.
-  Under Part-A, installation of 25 crore Smart Meters is envisaged across the country. Implementation  model  for  smart  metering  is  TOTEX  (i.e.,  CAPEX+OPEX)  under DBFOOT  model  and  OPEX  payments  to  AMISP  are  linked  with  Service  Level Agreement  (SLA).  This  approach  ensures  end-to-end  responsibility  of  AMISP  for delivery of services during the entire life cycle of the project.
-  Along  with  installation  of  pre-paid  Smart  metering  and  the  associated  Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) which goes with its installation, System metering at Feeder and Distribution Transformer level with communicating feature would also be  taken  up  simultaneously  in  PPP  Mode  so  that  the  Service  Level  Agreements (SLAs) can be enforced to facilitate proper energy accounting.
-  The objectives of AMI are remote meter reading for error free data, network problem identification,  load  profiling,  energy  audit  and  partial  load  curtailment  in  place  of load shedding.
-  The funding pattern is as below:
- *For Special Category States: All North Eastern States including Sikkim and States/Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep
- # A provision for additional incentive over and above this has been made, for Pr-epaid Smart Meters installed within targeted timelines of first phase mission i.e. December 2023.

| A-1   | Pre-paid Smart metering solution including at consumer, DT, and feeder level including integration of existing infrastructure   | 15% / 22.5%* as the case may be (limited up to Rs.900 or Rs.1350* respectively per meter for Consumer metering) #   |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

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ANNEXURE-II

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2574 ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 16.03.2023

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The following measures are given in SBD under RDSS with regard to the protection of personal data of consumers using the smart meters:

- I. Advanced  Metering  Infrastructure  Service  Provider  (AMISP)  should  describe ensure  that  the  system  is  compliant  with  the  applicable  provisions  of  the 'Reasonable  security  practices  and  procedures  and  sensitive  personal  data  or information  Rules,  2011 (IT  Act)'  as  well  as  shall  be  committed  to  work  with Utility for compliance to Personal Data Protection requirements.
- II. The Utility shall be the sole custodian of the Smart Meter data. The AMISP and its contracted vendors will have limited need basis access to the data. In case of pre-mature termination or at the end of contract, the AMISP and the contracted vendors  should  relinquish  all  access  to  the  data  and  transfer  the  same  to  the Utility.
- III. AMISP is required to pre-pare and submit a 'Privacy by Design' document to the Utility  which  details  out  all  the  policies,  practices,  processes  and  technologies employed to manage, and process the Smart Meter data in a secure manner.
- IV. AMI system should enable the Utility to get the consumer consent on sharing and processing of Smart Meter data.
- V. All data sharing shall be recorded and periodically submitted to utility for review / regulatory requirement
- VI. AMISP should have a data breach response plan and should communicate to the utility  and  consumers  in  case  of  any  data  breach  from  Advanced  Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system
- VII. AMISP is responsible to conduct 3rd party data privacy audit at least once every year based on evaluation criteria pre-identified by the Utility in consultation with data experts. The audit report should be made available to Utility. AMISP to take necessary actions on audit observations in consultation with the utility.
- VIII. Only GI (Megh Raj) cloud services or Meity empanelled Cloud services should be used.

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