Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has launched the installation of a smart meter at the consumer’s house replacing the old single phase meters. Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barshaman Pun initiated the work replacing the old single-phase meter by smart meter in Ward no 3 building of Budhanilkanth Municipality in Mannikhatar.

Currently, there are over 5 million single-phase meter at consumers' homes. In the first phase, NEA will replace about 100,000 meters of single-phase and 3 phases in the houses of Ratna Park and Maharajgunj Distribution Centers. With this initiation, NEA’s policy to the Digital NEA campaign begins.

Following the installation of a smart meter, there does not require meter reading work. Following this, data will be available in both central and offices. The lines, of those consumers who do not pay tariffs, can be cut from the center. This will also end the leakage caused by the meter readers. Along with this, electricity theft will drastically reduce the following installation of the smart meter.

Addressing the program, Minister Pun said that the installation of smart meter can improve efficiency and modernize the service provided by the state meeting the government’s target to make prosperous Nepal and Happy Nepali. “ This is a milestone towards that.”

“Along with the installation of the smart meter, we have been working to beautify cities and make system dependable by turning the distribution system underground,” said Minister Pun, who is also chairman of Nepal Electricity Authority.

“With the proposal of NEA, we are able to reduce the tariff of electricity through the Electricity Regulatory Commission. This is the first time in history,” said Minister Pun. He also said that NEA has been making a profit since the last two years placing it as a number one public utility to generate profit. He said that the country will be self-reliant in electricity very soon.

Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Secretary Dinesh Kumar Ghimire said that the implementation of two years old program to make smart greed and smart meter in five years have made good progress. He said that the work to installing the smart meter and under-grounding distribution system will go side by side.

MD of NEA Kul Man Ghising said the replacement of old meter by the smart meter can reduce the numbers of meter readers. He said that 2500-3000 employees meter reads will be reduced.

He said that the tariff of electricity can be fixed on the basis of each hour including pick, off the pick and normal time through a smart meter. He said that it will also help to set the different tariffs during the rainy session to promote the consumption of electricity and set different tariffs in winter. “ As there will be postpaid and pre-paid unction in the smart meter, the tariff can be paid as the wishes of a consumer through an online bill,” said MD Ghising.

Under its first phase program, NEA has already changed 8222 Time Off Day Meter to smart. Under the second phase, over 125000 meters will be replaced by a smart meter. 18000 have already been installed and the other 60,000 are under the process.

Under the Rs. 1 billion concessional loans of the Asian Development Bank, the work is currently undergoing. To replace 400000 old meters by the smart meter in Kathmandu Valley, the tender process has already proceeded.