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Ludhiana: Four months on, lukewarm response for power quality meters
According to data provided by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), out of 2,368 designated industrial units in Ludhiana, only 842 have so far shown interest in the scheme
Four months after the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) tweaked rules to ease the installation of power quality (PQ) meters in Ludhiana’s power-intensive industries consuming over 100 kW electricity, implementation continues to remain sluggish.
In March, while hearing a petition filed by local industries, the commission acknowledged the challenges faced by units, particularly the severe shortage of PQ meters amid a limited number of vendors. Notably, earlier this year, the power department was imposing penalties on these industries for failing to comply with the scheme, leading to this petition.
Responding to these concerns, the commission introduced several changes to the scheme to facilitate smoother compliance. One of the major modifications was the withdrawal of the rental option, under which industries could install PQ meters by paying a monthly lease of around ₹5,210 to the power utility instead of purchasing them outright.
Further tightening the norms, the commission announced that from April 1, no new industrial connection or demand extension of 100 kW would be sanctioned without the installation of a PQ meter. Additionally, the option to rent PQ meters from PSPCL would no longer be available to new applicants after this date.
Despite these changes, the pace of meter installation remains slow. According to data provided by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), out of 2,368 designated industrial units in Ludhiana, only 842 have so far shown interest in the scheme.
Industrialists have attributed the slow pace of implementation to the high cost of these meters, each priced upwards of ₹ ₹3 to 7 lakh. Many argue that the financial burden is too steep for small-scale industries and have demanded that such mandates apply only to larger units consuming above 1,000 kW, which contribute more significantly to harmonic distortions.
Rajnish Ahuja, president of the Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the main hurdle continues to be availability. “Even though the power corporation announced fresh procurement of 250 meters per month starting May, there are only two vendors nationwide. Industrial units are still struggling to source the meters, which is slowing down implementation,” he said.
“The limited number of suppliers has created a monopoly and driven up prices.The market needs at least four vendors to create competition. But the government’s failure to ensure this has led to a monopoly and escalated prices,” he added.
Ahuja also criticised the power department for imposing new charges and schemes without addressing power reliability concerns.
When contacted, Amrinder Singh, XEN (Focal Point), said, “We are issuing new industrial connections of 100 kW or more to power-intensive units only after confirming that mandatory PQ meters have been installed in their premises, as per PSERC norms.
The PQ meter mandate stems from PSERC’s Power Quality Regulations, 2023, aimed at monitoring and improving various aspects of electrical supply, including voltage fluctuations, harmonics, dips, swells, and supply interruptions.
