Indore Smart City Development Limited has issued a tender for smart meters to be installed under Indore Smart City project. This is a percentage rate tender for the supply, installation of smart energy meters with RF Mesh Communication Module in area-based development (ABD) area.

The estimated cost is ₹157.9 million (~$21.3 million) and the time for completion of contract is 24 months. The bid-submission deadline is October 31, 2018.

Smart metering in ABD area will enhance the overall efficiency of the system. The smart meter will have wireless two-way communication between the distribution company and the consumer meter. The consumption and the tariff at any point of time can be accessed by the consumer.

The scope of work includes the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of about 30,000 smart meters with RF mesh communication. The successful bidder will be responsible for integrating the smart meters with existing communication infrastructure, existing head end system (HES), meter data management (MDM) system, cloud hosting for applications, billing system and revenue/service advisory services of Madhya Pradesh Pashchim Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Co. Ltd.

The successful bidder will also be responsible for onsite warranty support and field maintenance of smart meters with network interface card (NIC) for five years from the date of Installation and five and a half years from date of supply, whichever is earlier.

Smart meters are a necessity for the upgradation of Indian power sector. A smart grid has become even more necessary as the country transitions towards a heavy mix of renewables in its power generation capacity.

Recently, the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of the public-sector units of the Ministry of Power and the Government of India, entered two memoranda of understanding (MoU) with North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (NBPDCL) and South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (SBPDCL) to deploy smart meters in 130 towns and adjacent rural areas covering approximately 1.8 million customers in the state.

In March 2018, EESL issued a tender to procure 5 million smart electricity meters. In July 2018, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL), a power distribution company (DISCOM), announced it will soon start a project to install smart meters covering all its 1,600,000 consumers in Delhi.