Power Division targets 63 lakh by 2018

Asad Al-Mahmud: Power Division has a plan to provide its subscribers including the capital with prepaid meters within next five years. 

As per plan, 63 lakh subscriberswill get prepaid meters in the next year, 2018.

According to Power Division, Rural Electrification Board (RBB) will require 10 lakh and 60 thousand prepaid meters by next June while Rural Electrification Board (RBB) 31 lakh, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDCL) 10 lakh, Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (DESCO) 5 lakh, Western Electricity Distribution Company 5 lakh and Uttaranchal Power Distribution Company 6 lakh.

About five lakh prepaid meters have already been installed.

An official of the Power Division said that there is a target to set 63 lakh prepaid meters across the country in the coming year. Prepaid subscribers can recharge their prepaid cards from nearby vending stations. They will know the amount of electricity use and remaining balances from the station.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said, "The government will bring the entire power sector under the prepaid metering system by 2021. This will ensure transparency and accountability in the use of power resources.

He said, “Setting up prepaid meters in the power sector will be very helpful to release the subscribers from current billing system."

risingbd / Dhaka / Nov 28, 2017 /Asad/Mukul