KPDCL issues stern warning against smart meter tampering

Srinagar, Nov 18: The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) on Monday issued a stern advisory to its consumers to remain vigilant against certain gangs operating in Srinagar city and outskirts, which are offering their “services” to tamper smart meters by quoting a price.

A statement of the KPDCL issued here said that the KPDCL’s Central Inspection Squad recently caught several consumers with tampered smart meters and during investigation, consumers divulged names of a few operatives, which KPDCL would share with the J&K Police so that the larger gangs involved are busted and criminals brought to justice.

Sharing details, a KPDCL spokesman said that real-time data flows from the smart meters to the Data Centre with tamper alerts, if any, giving Discom an edge to pinpoint malpractices.

“No tampering is full-proof and Discom’s Head End System easily detects fiddling with the internal circuitry of the smart meter and exposes attempts by the consumer to reduce consumption,” he said.

Warning consumers of strict action under the Electricity Act, the spokesman said Central Inspection Squad of KPDCL had detected some incidents of smart meter tampering and fiddling with internal circuits by consumers through these gangs in Mehjoor Nagar, Watal Kadal, Hawal, Firdousabad, Batamaloo, Dalgate, Baghat, Zainakote and Rajbagh localities in Srinagar city as well as Sopore town in Baramulla district.

“All these tampered smart meters have been confiscated and notices served to the consumers for recovery of energy illegally consumed,” he said.

The KPDCL has issued directions to all Circle Heads to constitute special squads to check smart meters for tampering.

“Meanwhile, KPDCL is examining the low consumption profiles of smart metered consumers at its Data Centre, to check and verify if any attempt has been made to tamper the meter to record low consumption,” the spokesman said.

To create enough deterrence against tampering of smart meters, KPDCL spokesman said FIRs also stand lodged at various police stations by the concerned SDOs of Electric Subdivisions.