APSPDCL rolls out prepaid smart metering for government services
The Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) has shifted government electricity services to a prepaid smart-metering system with effect from June 1 across nine districts in Andhra Pradesh.
The rollout covers government offices, educational institutions, municipal corporations, public water works, and street lights in Nellore, Tirupati, Chittoor, Annamayya, Kadapa, Kurnool, Nandyal, Anantapur, and Sri Sathya Sai districts.
APSPDCL said the move is aimed at improving financial transparency, reducing payment arrears from government departments, and strengthening the utility’s power procurement capacity.
Under the initiative, 34,496 government electricity services have been pre-charged through e-wallets with a combined allocation of around Rs 15 crore. Tirupati district received the highest allocation at Rs 2.29 crore for 4,942 services, followed by Kadapa with Rs 1.98 crore for 4,520 services.
Government departments will now pay fixed and variable electricity charges in advance at the start of each billing cycle. Daily consumption costs will be deducted automatically from prepaid balances.
APSPDCL Chairman and Managing Director Sivasankar Lotheti said power supply under the new system will depend on available account balances. Departments will receive automated alerts through SMS and email when balances fall below a minimum threshold, while supply will be disconnected automatically if balances reach zero. The utility plans to extend the prepaid framework to remaining government electricity services in phases.
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