Week-Long Outage of Bihar’s Smart Meter Server Sparks Consumer Fears Over High Bills

Patna: The server managing smart prepaid meters in Bihar has been down for a week, leaving over 18 lakh consumers across the state unable to track their electricity usage. This server outage, which began on November 28, has affected consumers in district headquarters, including more than 5 lakh users in the Patna Electric Supply Undertaking (PESU) area. Many are worried about receiving large, sudden bills once the server is restored.

The issue stems from the server failure of the smart prepaid meter system, which was introduced by the South Bihar and North Bihar Power Distribution Companies in partnership with the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). Currently, smart meters are being installed across Patna by EDF under the guidance of EESL.

Consumers have expressed concerns over the inability to monitor their electricity consumption or balance during this time.  

Officials from both the power company and EDF have remained tight-lipped on when the server will be back online. Manoj Kumar Modi, Smart Prepaid Meter Operation Head and Chief General Manager of EESL, acknowledged the technical problem but did not provide a timeline for its resolution. However, power company representatives assured consumers that their electricity will not be disconnected until the server is restored.

Meanwhile, Bihar’s Energy Department Secretary, Pankaj Kumar Pal, has set a November 30 deadline for installing smart meters in all government buildings. He issued strict instructions to install push buttons in all smart meters and warned agencies responsible for installation of action if they fail to meet the deadline.

“All agencies must install DT meters, feeder meters, and smart meters in government buildings as per the agreement. Any negligence in this process will result in action,” Pal stated during a review meeting at the power company’s headquarters. Key officials, including SBPDCL MD Mahendra Kumar and NBPDCL MD Dr. Nilesh Deore, were also present.

As of now, 48.87 lakh smart prepaid meters have been installed across Bihar, with 17.70 lakh meters in urban areas and 31.15 lakh in rural regions. However, the rollout has not been without challenges. In many areas, consumers have resisted the installation of smart meters, fearing that their electricity bills have increased since their introduction.