As part of the government's plan to bring entire power consumers under smart prepayment metering system, a move is underway to install 88 lakh smart prepayment meters in phases across the country.
Power distribution companies will set up 22, 26,600 smart prepayment meters in the financial year 2020-2021, an official familiar with the process said.
According to official statistics , Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will set up 11,00,000 smart prepayment meters, Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB)- 2,50,000, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC)- 76,600, Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (DESCO)- 2,00,000, West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL) – 2,00,000 and Northern Electric Supply Company Limited (NESCO) will install 4,00,000 smart prepayment meters by 2020-2021.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said the government has a plan to bring all consumers under smart pre-payment metering system aimed at reducing system loss, pilferage and overbilling in power consumption across the country.
He said six distribution companies under power division will complete installation of 20,20,000 smart prepayment meters within the current fiscal year (2019-2020).
"The government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has relentlessly been working to bring all citizens under power coverage as our generation capacity now reached to 22,787 MW. We are also working hard to supply uninterrupted electricity to all," Nasrul said.
