Electricity Employees’ Federation of India cry foul over delay in issuing work order for Phase II of smart metering in Keralam

Left employees’ organisations in the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) have expressed deep concern over an alleged delay in issuing the work order for Phase II roll-out of smart electricity meters in Keralam.

The Electricity Employees’ Federation of India (EEFI), an umbrella organisation of Left-backed organisations, has now written to Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, saying that the financial bids were opened on September 5 this year. Any further delay in issuing the work order would lead to Keralam losing Central grants under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) as well as an opportunity for securing additional borrowing space.

The delay would also deny electricity consumers in Keralam the opportunity for low-cost smart meter services, the EEFI said. EEFI leaders have urged the Chief Minister to issue a direction to the KSEB to promptly issue the work order as the tender period expires on November 11.

The EEFI represents the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) -backed KSEB Workers’ Association (KSEBWA), the KSEB Officers’ Association (KSEBOA) and the CITU-backed KSEB Contract Workers’ Association (KSEBCWA). 

50 lakh smart meters

The issue pertains to the Phase II roll-out of smart meters wherein up to 50 lakh smart meters are meant to be installed.

In its letter to the Chief Minister, the EEFI leaders said that the director board of the KSEB and the State Cabinet had cleared Phase II with a total outlay of ₹2,813.59 crore earlier this year. Of the 11 firms that bid, GridCrest Technologies had quoted ₹1651.75 crore, which was lower by 41.29% than the outlay, opening up a possibility for the people of Keralam to be equipped with smart electricity meters at the lowest available rate, according to the EEFI leaders.

However, the KSEB is yet to issue the work order. In February this year, when the CPI(M)-led LDF government was still in power, the KSEB had cleared a proposal for Phase II implementation of smart meters covering around 35 Lakh consumers (extendable up to 50 Lakhs with annual on-boarding of new consumers) under CAPEX mode.

‘Keen on project’

“Delays would lead to the tender being cancelled. It is also to be suspected that a move is on to undermine the CAPEX model which enables the people of Keralam to secure smart meter services at a lower cost,” the EEFI said, alleging that certain corporate majors, which had quoted higher amounts in the bidding process, were keen on this project. Smart metering project had been in the news during the LDF government’s term when KSEB unions opposed the TOTEX model of implementation prescribed under RDSS. Consequently, the State government had decided to adopt the CAPEX model with the KSEB as the implementing agency.  

The (KSEB) director board meeting held on September 29 decided to seek government approval for issuing the work order. But the EEFI leaders said that further government nod is not required for a work that was tendered with government approval and attracted a financial bid that was way lower than the original outlay.