**Executive Summary**
This document, dated December 11, 2025, from the Ministry of Power, outlines a nationwide push for smart prepaid meters under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) to improve distribution efficiency and consumer services. A total of 20.33 crore smart meters have been sanctioned, with 97% to be in prepaid mode. The document also highlights the benefits to both consumers and distribution utilities.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **RDSS Smart Metering Initiative:**
* Under RDSS, smart metering works are being carried out for 19.79 crore consumers, 2.11 lakh feeders and 52.53 lakh DTs, totaling 20.33 crore smart meters, based on proposals from States/distribution utilities.
* 4.93 crore smart meters have been installed across the country, with 1.6 crore functioning in prepaid mode.
* Installation of prepaid meters is prioritized for Government, commercial, industrial and high-load consumers.
* Balance smart meters have been installed by States under State plans/other schemes.
* **Consumer Benefits:**
* Convenience of small recharges.
* Emergency credit to avoid disconnection on zero balance.
* Tracking of consumption.
* Error-free billing.
* **Distribution Utility Benefits:**
* Improved billing and collection efficiency.
* Automatic energy accounting.
* Improved load forecasting.
* Data analytics for demand side management.
* Facilitation of an enabling ecosystem for energy transition.
* **Consumer Engagement Enhancement Measures:**
* Incentivizing prepaid meter installation through rebates.
* No penalty based on maximum demand recorded by smart meter.
* Mechanism for recovery of past arrears in easy installments.
* Installation of check meters for confidence in accuracy.
* Smart meter mobile apps for tracking consumption and easy recharge.
* Advance alerts for balance and emergency credit.
**Impact Analysis**
**Consumers**
* **Impact:** Improved services, lower costs, convenience through small recharges, emergency credit, better tracking of consumption, and error-free billing.
* **Action Required:** Consider switching to prepaid meters to leverage benefits and engage with smart meter mobile apps for easy recharge and tracking.
**Distribution Utilities**
* **Impact:** Improved billing and collection efficiency, automatic energy accounting, better load forecasting, and enhanced demand-side management.
* **Action Required:** Install smart prepaid meters per RDSS guidelines, implement SOPs for consumer engagement, and leverage data analytics for improved energy management.
Key Entities Referenced
Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS): A government scheme to improve the operational efficiency and financial sustainability of distribution companies (DISCOMs) through infrastructure upgrades, including smart metering.
Smart Prepaid Meters: Electricity meters that allow consumers to pay for electricity in advance and enable distribution utilities to improve billing and collection efficiency.
Ministry of Power: The central government ministry responsible for the development of electrical energy in India.
Ministry of Power
Nationwide Push for Smart Prepaid Meters to
Boost Distribution Efficiency and Better
Consumer Services
97% of the 20.33 crore Smart Meters sanctioned under RDSS
to be in Prepaid Mode
प्रव तथ: 11 DEC 2025 5:50PM by PIB Delhi
A total of 4.93 Cr smart meters have been installed across the country with 1.6 Cr smart meters
functioning in prepaid mode. Under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), smart metering
works for 19.79 cr consumers in prepaid mode, 2.11 lakh feeders and 52.53 lakh DTs, totaling 20.33 Cr
smart meters, have been sanctioned based on the proposal submitted by the States/distribution utilities and
3.58 Cr smart meters have been installed. The balance smart meters have been installed by States under
their State plans/ other schemes.
Post paid service has traditionally been the default mode. However, considering the benefits offered to
both consumers and distribution utilities, deployment of smart prepaid meters has been undertaken under
the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). The installation of prepaid smart meters is being
prioritised for Government establishments, commercial, industrial and high-load consumers and
subsequently for other consumers based on demonstration of benefits.
The following benefits have been envisaged for consumers:
i. Convenience of recharge with small recharges
ii. Emergency credit in meter to avoid disconnection on zero balance
iii. Tracking of consumption
iv. Error free billing
Besides the consumers, prepaid smart metering helps improve the billing and collection efficiency of the
Distribution Utility while providing benefits like Automatic Energy accounting, improved Load
forecasting, use of data analytics for demand side management and facilitate an enabling ecosystem for
energy transition. The benefits, accruing to the distribution utilities, eventually gets passed on to the
consumers in the form of better services and lower costs.
Initially, there were some challenges in the implementation of smart metering works due to inadequate
consumer awareness regarding the benefits of smart meters. To improve consumer engagement and
enhance confidence, the Ministry has issued various advisories/Standard operating Procedures (SoPs).
These include:
Incentivising consumers for prepaid meter installation through rebate in bill;
No penalty on consumer based on maximum demand recorded by smart meter;
Mechanism for recovery of past arrears in easy instalments;Installation of check meters for enhancing confidence in accuracy of smart meters.
Smart meter mobile apps are being made available to allow for regular tracking of consumption of
electricity and for easy recharge;
Advance alerts for balance and emergency credit to consumers
This Information was given by the Minister of Power, Shri Manohar Lal, in a written reply in the Lok
Sabha today.
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