The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : KASSIA wants pre-paid energy meters

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Sunday, Dec 09, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

KASSIA wants pre-paid energy meters

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The Karnataka State Small Industries Association (KASSIA) has favoured introduction of pre-paid power meters for small industries and has suggested to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) to direct the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company to take necessary action.

At a meeting with KERC officials here on Tuesday, KASSIA president M.C.R. Shetty said the pre-paid power meters would be advantageous for entrepreneurs as they could monitor the usage of power in their establishments on a day-to-day and hourly basis.

He said it would help them conserve energy and increase efficiency.

Earlier, the former president of KASSIA M.G. Prabhakar said the KERC had understood the problems of the entrepreneurs and reduced the security deposit for power installation.

He sought the help of KERC to make pre-paid power meters easily available to small industrialists.

Assuring action in the matter of new meters, KERC member (Technical) S.D. Ukkali said the system of pre-paid power meters had been tried and tested in South Africa and the U.K.. He was confident that it would yield the expected results in India.

He said the meters would reduce power thefts and mitigate financial risk for the power utilities.

He said the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) would not be in a position to commit anything on the new meters as the matter was embroiled in a legal dispute.

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