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Energy Business
Praveen Reddy
Praveen Reddy
 · Posted in Energy Business

AMI SP under RDSS - Why, What and How

Power sector reform programs before RDSS and their impacts, carry on in to RDSS

A well-functioning electricity infrastructure is essential for the success of a modern economy. 24x7 availability of reliable, quality and affordable power is key to economic development of the country. In the Distribution Sector, Government of India has been assisting the States / Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) through various schemes since 2014, namely Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY); Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA); and Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS). The Distribution system has been strengthened under DDUGJY and IPDS in rural and urban areas respectively. As a result of the implementation of these schemes, India has achieved universal electricity access by connecting ~28 million households in 18 months under Saubhagya.

Despite the above measures, the DISCOMs need to focus on improving their operational efficiencies & financial sustainability; and improve consumer services to be able to meet the desired consumer service standards.

It is with this aim and the Government of India’s commitment for providing 24x7 uninterrupted, quality, reliable and affordable power supply, that the Revamped Reforms Based and Results Linked Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) has been formulated by Ministry of Power for supporting DISCOMs to undertake reforms and improve performance in a time bound manner.

The government of India has approved the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) to help DISCOMs improve their operational efficiencies and financial sustainability by providing result-linked financial assistance to DISCOMs to strengthen supply infrastructure based on meeting pre-qualifying criteria and achieving basic minimum benchmarks.

The scheme has an outlay of Rs 3,03,758 Crore over 5 years i.e. FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26. The outlay includes an estimated Government Budgetary Support (GBS) of Rs 97,631 Crore.

 

The scheme aims to meet the following objectives:

  • Reduction of AT&C losses to pan-India levels of 12-15% by 2024-25.
  • Reduction of ACS-ARR gap to zero by 2024-25.
  • Improvement in the quality, reliability and affordability of power supply to consumers through a financially sustainable and operationally efficient distribution sector.

The Scheme has the following components:

  • Part A – Financial support for Prepaid Smart Metering & System Metering and up-gradation of the Distribution Infrastructure.
  • Part B – Training & Capacity Building and other Enabling & Supporting Activities.

  • It is therefore envisaged that AMI service providers are capable of implementing the End-to-End AMI prepaid solution can demonstrate integration of Smart Meter and associated HES to MDM and Utility billing system. REC and PFC have been nominated as nodal agencies for facilitating the implementation of the scheme. To address the challenges in implementation like Meter Communication, Integration with legacy Billing systems, Inter-operability between Multi-vendor systems and validation of smart pre-paid functionality; A Pre-Qualification demonstration test was contemplated for Applicants. CPRI (Central Power Research Institute), an apex testing body under MoP (Ministry of Power) was nominated as a evaluating body for the AMI Prepaid Solution.

     

    It is the complete responsibility of the Applicant to reach out to respective Smart Meters manufacturers / HES provider/ MDM provider/ System Integrator, and any other software /applications service providers whose services are required for successfully carrying out the demonstration test. Accordingly, the Applicant may apply on its own or bring along other partners, as it deems fit.

    For successful demonstration and for availing the Empanelment certificate, the Applicant would have to demonstrate the performance of its solution as per the functionalities and service levels defined in the RFE (AMI Prepaid Solution Demonstration Requirements), for a period of a minimum of 5 (five).

     

    Validity of the Empanelment certification would be for an initial period of 24 months from the date of issuance of the certificate. Post the expiry of the certificate, the empanelling Committee/ empanelling Entity’s reserves the right to extend/ renew the certification for a period of another 24 months or invite the Applicant for a re-demonstration.

     

    Structure of Demonstration Test

  • Smart Meters: The Applicant to demonstrate on smart meters from the types either Single/Three Phase AC Whole current of Smart meters with Plug and Play type communication module (NIC Card). Data Concentrator Unit (DCU) with SIM card applicable for RF type communication. The number of meters is restricted to 20 no’s from two manufacturers only. The smart meters would be installed on the smart meter test bench. Smart meter test bench would have all necessary wiring/connection and rheostat (variable load from 50W to 100W) to mimic the consumer load.
  • Communication Technology: Any one of the technologies can be used for the demonstration test: i. Cellular technology ii. Radio Frequency (RF). This is under applicant scope.
  • HES and MDMS applications: AMI service Provider shall bring separate laptop that would be connected with test lab display monitor to show both HES and MDM functions.
  • Prototype Billing System & its Application: A prototype billing system for testing basic features of AMI prepaid solution shall be brought by the applicant. However, if an applicant wants to show integration with any Power Utility’s live billing system, it would do so by giving its information during the Application submission stage.

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    Post the demonstration at CPRI, the test report of each applicant would be submitted to the Empanelling Committee consisting of representatives from Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC), Power Finance Corporation (PFC), Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM). Those Applicants who full fill the eligibility and qualification requirements and successfully demonstrate end-to-end AMI prepaid solution would be awarded:

    1. Certificate for successfully demonstrating an end – to – end AMI prepaid solution in standard test set up of CPRI

     2. Certificate for successfully demonstrating a working/ live end – to end AMI prepaid solution in any Power distribution utility of India

    Project Structure under RDSS

    Discoms to invite only those players for implementing AMI projects who had successfully demonstrated their prototype AMI prepaid solution in front of a testing agency.

     

     

    RDSS Key Benefits for all Stakeholders

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