Gujarat to Install Smart Meters for 1.20 Crore Electricity Consumers in Phases
August 13, 2026
Vadodara: The Union Ministry of Power has directed states to expedite the installation of smart electricity meters, with around 1.20 crore of Gujarat’s estimated 1.76 crore electricity consumers set to be covered under the system in a phased manner.
The directive was issued through a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all states by the Under Secretary of the Union Ministry of Power. The Ministry said smart meter installation is mandatory under the Central Electricity Authority’s Installation and Operation of Meters (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, in areas where communication networks are available. States have been directed to ensure that the meters are installed within the timelines prescribed by the Centre.
Under the smart metering system, consumers will have the option of paying their electricity bills on a prepaid or postpaid basis. They will also be eligible for Time-of-Day (ToD) rebates, including discounts during the specified period from 11 am to 5 pm.
The system is also expected to help electricity distribution utilities improve energy accounting and monitoring. The installation of smart meters under the Revised Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) is aimed at benefiting both consumers and power distribution companies.
According to available information, around 5.60 crore electricity consumers across the country have already been provided with smart meters. In Gujarat, smart meters have so far been installed for around 14.60 lakh consumers.
MGVCL to Cover 18.40 Lakh Consumers
Madhya Gujarat Vij Company Limited (MGVCL), which has around 33 lakh electricity consumers, is set to install smart meters for 18.40 lakh consumers in the coming period. This would cover around 55% of MGVCL’s consumer base.
Smart metering work has also progressed at the distribution transformer level. Of the 56,000 distribution transformers approved under MGVCL, smart meters have already been installed on around 42,000 transformers, covering nearly 74% of the total. DeshGujarat
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