The installation of smart prepaid electricity meters by the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) on a pilot basis in government offices has started creating operational problems, with several public offices in Ropar district facing power disruptions after exhausting their prepaid balance.
In Nangal town, key government establishments including the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), the treasury office and the Sanjh Kendra lost electricity supply after the prepaid smart meters installed there ran out of balance. The outages disrupted routine public services and forced some offices to rely on generators for functioning.
Sources told The Tribune that although PSPCL had installed the prepaid smart meters as part of a pilot initiative. The government departments concerned were not adequately prepared for the transition from the conventional billing system to the prepaid model.
A senior PSPCL official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the prepaid smart meters operate automatically and disconnect the electricity supply the moment the available balance is exhausted.
“These meters work exactly like prepaid mobile phone connections. Once the balance finishes, the electricity connection is automatically disconnected. The power supply is restored only after money is deposited into the account linked with the meter,” the official said.
The official admitted that implementing prepaid meters in government offices without modifying the existing payment mechanism may have been a flawed decision.
“Government offices function through an established financial procedure. Electricity bills are generated, sent to departments, processed through the drawing and disbursing officers and then payments are released. There is no existing provision in most offices for making advance electricity payments. This mismatch between the prepaid system and government financial procedures is creating practical difficulties on the ground,” the official added.
The move has triggered criticism from local residents and members of the legal fraternity, who said the outages were directly affecting delivery of essential public services.
Former president of the District Bar Association, Paramjit Singh Pamma, alleged that hundreds of residents were facing inconvenience due to the electricity disruptions in public offices.
“People are suffering while trying to obtain essential documents such as residence certificates because the tehsil office in Nangal has no electricity. The Sanjh Kendra, where hundreds of people visit daily for official work, is functioning on generators. Many other government offices have also lost power connections. This reflects a failure on the part of the government,” he said.
The Deputy Commissioner Ropar, Aaditya Dachawal while acknowledging the problem being faced by government offices said that the officials concerned have been directed to raise bills for power in advance so that they can pay electricity bills in advance as per the provisions of pre-paid metres. He said that the matter was also being taken up at appropriate levels so that government offices do not face power cuts.
The development has also raised questions over the preparedness of departments before introducing smart prepaid systems in government institutions. Officials familiar with the matter said the pilot project was intended to promote energy accountability and reduce pending electricity dues. However, the absence of a mechanism for advance recharges and timely monitoring of balances has led to unintended disruptions.
The PSPCL has been gradually promoting smart metering as part of power sector reforms aimed at improving billing efficiency and reducing transmission losses. While prepaid smart meters are commonly used in residential and commercial settings, their implementation in government offices appears to have exposed administrative gaps.
Sources said the authorities may now review the functioning of the pilot project and consider introducing a separate payment mechanism for government departments to prevent repeated power disconnections in offices dealing with essential public services.
