Does a smart meter push up your electricity bill? Heres the difference

With the digitisation of electricity meters in Maharashtra, smart meters have become a talking point in households. Earlier, staff would visit homes at fixed intervals to take meter readings, but a smart meter sends usage data digitally from a distance. Under central government rules, a smart meter's reading must be taken digitally at least once a day, and customers must be shown their usage data through digital means.

What happened earlier with a normal, or traditional, meter? The reading was noted by looking at the units shown on the meter. Under Maharashtra's current system, the rule is for an official meter reader to take the reading. If a reading could not be taken, the bill would sometimes be generated based on average usage. Mahavitaran also allows customers to submit self readings through its app or portal.

The biggest advantage of a smart meter is that it reduces the need for staff to visit homes for readings each time, since the meter's data is obtained remotely. Customers get to view their usage data through a digital medium. This makes it relatively easier to understand the actual reading, a bill that was based on an estimate, and any change in usage.

The question that comes up is whether installing a smart meter results in a higher bill. Simply installing a smart meter does not by itself raise the per-unit rate of electricity. The tariff applicable on the bill, the actual usage, the fixed charge and other applicable factors all matter. But since a smart meter gives more accurate and regular readings, if the bill was earlier based on an estimate, the bill can show a difference once it reflects actual usage. So a higher bill cannot be taken to mean that the meter has taken a wrong reading.

What do government rules say on this? Under rules framed by the central government in 2023, a smart meter's reading must be taken remotely at least once a day. A penalty cannot be imposed based on the maximum demand recorded before a smart meter was installed. Also, if the maximum demand recorded by a smart meter exceeds the sanctioned load, the rule is to calculate the bill for that billing cycle based on the actual demand recorded.

What should customers keep in mind? After a smart meter is installed, it helps to check usage from time to time through the app or whichever digital medium is available. If a bill seems higher than expected, the units, the meter reading and the other charges on the bill should be checked. In case of a complaint, Mahavitaran can be contacted to look into it.