GPRS Enabled Integrated Spot Billing is an e-governance initiative of Northern Power Distribution Company of Telangana (TSNPDCL). It started this project with an objective to lessen the human interface in the power billing process that immediately resulted in bringing down errors in billing while reducing bill related complaints.

TSNPDCL reaches out to a population of nearly 155.22 lakhs (as per provisional 2011 census) spread across hamlets, villages and towns spanning an area of 66,860 Square Kilometers.

The new arrangement was designed to increase the customers’ satisfaction level. It also aimed to further the positive momentum by enabling automatic updation of Distribution Companies’ (DISCOM) Consumer Ledger and facilitate the option of online payment through net banking, credit/debit card or through cash/cheque at the Bill Collection Centers.

Challenges

• Meter reader would visit the consumer premises and manually feed the reading in Spot Billing Machine for generation of bills. This led to errors due to wrong feeding of data.
• Spot billing data was separately sent to server through CD for updating of Consumer Ledger leading to errors.
• There was no way a consumer could requisition correction in error as the process was lengthy. This led to delays in grievance redressal.
• There was no system of online payment and a consumer had to carry bill for making payment.

Solution

• Meter reader visits the consumers’ premises with GPRS Enabled Integrated Spot Billing tool.
• IR Port communicates meter reading to machine.
• The machine generates bill and transfers data to server for Consumer Ledger Updation.
• The bills are served to consumers.
• The consumers make cash/cheque payment at Bill Collection Centre or through online payment by net banking, credit or debit card.
• Whole process in automation enables accurate billing. It also results in easing bill payment by the consumers either through cash/cheque or by online payment through net banking, credit/debit card.

Outcomes

• 8.95 lakh consumers are provided monthly bills under GPRS Enabled Integrated Spot Billing.
• No errors reported in bills generated through GPRS Enabled Integrated Spot Billing.
• Drastic reduction in bill related complaints.
• Enabling automatic updating of DISCOMS’s Consumer Ledger.
• Number of consumers’ billed in different Circles through GPRS-enabled Spot Billing:
  • Khamman: 180,051
  • Warangal: 220,999
  • Karimnagar: 222,101
  • Nizamabad: 107,570
  • Adilabad: 104,292
  • TSNPDCL: 895,013

The project is cost effective, as it procures GPRS Enabled Integrated Spot Billing Machines (one time capital investment with Rs 1,20,00,000 – and GPRS SIM Cards cost (recurring expenses on monthly basis) to the tune of Rs 75,000. The said amount doesn’t leave any negative impact on the finances of implementing agency and added further, it has helped in raising revenue and improving overall efficiency.

TSNPDCL was the first Discom to introduce the GPRS Enabled Integrated Spot Billing System in March last year in the erstwhile combined state of Andhra Pradesh. It will soon rollout more GPRS Enabled Integrated Spot Billing infrastructure to cover 25 lakh consumers in domestic and commercial category.