Dimapur, March 21 (EMN): The Power department has notified that installation of smart electricity pre-payment meters will be mandatory in Nagaland for all categories of consumers and it will be done in a time- bound and phased manner with immediate effect.
The notice stated that “those areas and or consumers where post-paid meters are operational at present, shall not be brought under the ambit of communitisation of electricity till further orders”.
It stated that the notice was issued in compliance to the notification of the Union Ministry of Power and the provisions made in the Central Electricity Authority (Installation and Operation of Meters) (Amendment) Regulations, 2019 and Electricity Act, 2003, which mandated installation of smart pre-payment meters mandatory for all category of consumers.
According to the Act, all government offices at block level and above, and all industrial and commercial consumers should have smart meters with prepayment mode by December 2023 and other areas by March 2025.