Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Consumers in the Malwa–Nimar region received more than Rs 13 crore in electricity bill discounts in a single month due to the accurate calculation capabilities of smart meters and the Time of Day (TOD) tariff system.
According to West Discom managing director Anup Kumar Singh, the government provides a 20% concession on energy charges for electricity consumption between 9 am and 5 pm, encouraging consumers to use power during the solar energy availability period.
He said that in the February billing cycle, around 13 lakh consumers benefited from the TOD scheme, receiving discounts worth over Rs 13 crore. On average, each consumer using a smart meter saved about Rs100 per month.
The scheme is being implemented by West Discom, which supplies electricity in several districts of western Madhya Pradesh.
In Indore, about 5.64 lakh consumers received discounts totalling over Rs 6 crore in the past month. In Ujjain district, 1.19 lakh consumers received around Rs1.25 crore in concessions.
Similarly, Ratlam district recorded benefits of more than Rs 97 lakh for 1.07 lakh consumers. Discounts were also provided to 71,000 consumers in Dewas, 59,000 consumers in Khandwa, 57,000 consumers in Indore rural areas and 55,800 consumers in Burhanpur. Other districts also recorded benefits for 15,000 to 48,000 consumers each.
Singh explained that smart meters provide error-free billing and real-time meter data through the Urjas App, along with benefits such as power factor discounts and improved transparency.
He added that smart meters can precisely track electricity consumption at different times of the day, allowing utilities to accurately calculate TOD discounts. As a result, lakh of consumers across the Malwa–Nimar region are receiving significant savings every month by shifting their electricity use to the solar energy period.
