Patna: North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (NBPDCL) has been ranked the best power distribution company in the country, receiving a gold award for “improvement in consumer satisfaction in digital payments” at a national industry conference in New Delhi. The award was presented by the Union power minister, Manohar Lal, during the Electricity Distribution Industry Conference (EDICON) 2026.
Accepting the award, Bihar’s energy secretary and chairman-cum-managing director of the state power distribution holding company, Manoj Kumar Singh, said the recognition reflected sustained efforts to modernise electricity services and improve financial performance. The minister praised Bihar’s energy department for reducing aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses and strengthening the finances of its distribution companies, underlining that consumer satisfaction and digital delivery must remain central to power sector reforms.
Speaking at a conference session on the use of smart meters and data analysis, Singh said the technology was not only improving revenue collection but also helping utilities operate more efficiently and offer better services. He noted that Bihar began installing prepaid smart meters in 2023 and that, within two years, both state-run distribution companies had moved from losses to profits. An integrated data portal is now being planned to analyse smart meter data, with a target of reducing AT&C losses to 10% in the coming years.
NBPDCL’s managing director, Rahul Kumar, said the award highlighted Bihar’s focus on transparency, digital empowerment and consumer-centric services. The company serves around 13.4 million consumers, about 85% of them in rural areas, and has built a multi-channel digital payment system that includes banks under the Bharat Bill Payment System, Vasudha centres, mobile platforms, payment gateways and doorstep e-wallet services.
Officials said the widespread installation of prepaid smart meters had strengthened digital payments, with more than 95% of prepaid charges now collected online. Consumer incentives, awareness campaigns and automated reconciliation systems have reduced queues, increased transparency and improved satisfaction, particularly in rural areas. Representatives from both north and south Bihar power distribution companies attended the award ceremony, marking what officials described as a milestone in the state’s power sector reforms.
