CEA issues draft meter regulation amendments

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has released draft amendments to the Installation and Operation of Meters Regulations, 2006, and invited stakeholder comments. The Draft Central Electricity Authority (Installation and Operation of Meters) Amendment Regulations, 2026, were published on the CEA website, with submissions due by March 26, 2026.

The amendments are proposed under powers granted by Section 177 of the Electricity Act, 2003. The draft was published in newspapers on February 23, 2026, and placed on the CEA website for consultation. The authority will move toward final notification after reviewing stakeholder feedback.

The draft proposes that consumers in areas with communication network coverage be supplied electricity through smart meters compliant with relevant Indian Standards (IS) within timelines set by the Central Government. For connections exceeding current carrying capacity defined in IS, meters with automatic remote meter reading capability or smart meters compliant with applicable standards are proposed.

In areas without communication network coverage, installation of prepayment meters compliant with IS may be allowed by State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs).

The amendments require all advanced metering infrastructure to include prepayment functionality and ensure interoperability as per CEA guidelines. For open access consumers at voltage levels not exceeding 650 V, smart meters compliant with IS with accuracy class 1.0/0.5S are proposed as interface meters.

The draft also revises metering requirements under Regulation 7. For consumers directly connected to inter-state transmission systems (ISTS), intra-state transmission systems, or distribution systems and permitted open access above 650 V, main meters will be installed at consumer premises with check meters either at the consumer premises on separate instrument transformers or at the licensee substation as mutually agreed. For open access consumers at voltage levels not exceeding 650 V, main meters will be installed at consumer premises with no check meter requirement.

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