The Rs. 355-crore Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP), work on which has recently been launched, will change the face of electricity supply in the city and its suburbs. It will bring in anywhere-bill-payment system for all categories of consumers and automatic meter reading for high-tension consumers.
Sources in the Kerala State Electricity Board Limited said on Wednesday that Part A of the project, costing approximately Rs. 60 crore, envisaged deploying the latest information technology tools, including establishment of supervisory control and data acquisition to help Board’s engineers to keep track of power supply real-time and spot trouble online.
Bulk of the money under the R-APDRP will be deployed in establishing basic infrastructure for power distribution. It includes replacing 4.61 lakh faulty and old meters, laying over 300 km of underground cable, establishing 346 new transformers and conversion of over 300 km of single-phase lines into three-phase lines.
A senior Board official said the completion of the works would bring down the technical and commercial losses from the current 20 per cent to 15 per cent. Considering the volume of power consumption in Ernakulam district, the reduction in losses will bring substantial savings.
The Board will be able to keep real-time tab on power supply with automatic meter reading, which would also make it possible to accurately determine the transmission losses, the official said.
Ernakulam district accounts for about a fifth of the total 50 to 60 million units of power consumed per day in the State.
There are around 12 lakh consumers in the district and of them 4.5 lakh are within the Kochi city area. Around 350 km of underground cable has been laid in the city at different stages under the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme at different periods, starting 2006.
