Utility agencies squeeze small users while let bulk consumers go free

The utility agencies are reluctant to introduce 'Automated Meter Reading System (AMRS)' for preparing accurate billing for the bulk consumers, although the agencies automated the system for the retailers through imposing 'pre-paid metering system' across the country.
The small unit users of the utility agencies are unduly controlled by the agencies as they imposed different charges on pre-paid metering system but did not see any wrong with the bulk consumers.
"The power distribution companies have installed pre-paid meters in different areas, even to control the consumers who use only 50 units of electricity per day, they have to pay the rent of the meter per month but users who uses 30 to 50 MW of electricity per day they are free like anything, they don't need to pay any extra charges like the poor consumers here," a senior official of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) told the Daily observer.
To create a level playing field for all consumers, the BERC in its previous verdict on power tariff hike, asked all utilities to
use ARMS billing for the bulk consumers but the BERC's step goes in vein as the utility agencies are not willing, a senior member of the BERC said.
"The bulk consumers are using 35 per cent of the total amount of electricity, in numbers they are only 30,000 consumers, but the total number of consumers is 3 crore and 30 lakhs," Member BERC, M. Mizanur Rahman said.
He said ARMS can change the whole scenario of utility management in the country, it will make the whole system faster, consumer-friendly. Zero per cent error management can be possible here, and it will help both consumers and providers make the whole utility system more energy efficient. Moreover, it will reduce the service costs for the service providers as no manpower for meter reading will be required," he said.
"There will be no scope of corruption in the system which will generate huge revenue for the Government. It will help solve the energy crisis of the country in near future," he added.
No utility agencies are ready to install it, yes in initial period, the cost would be high but finally we will enjoy it, he further said.
Presently the utility agencies procedure the billing services mainly manually. We tried to give an automated solution for these utility services, starting from applying for the service to the billing system along with all other facilities required. We mainly focused on electricity utility service for the proposed solution, BERC said in its verdict, last time.
Automation is applied in almost every field. There are several automated meter reading technologies available for utility bills collection around the globe. We discuss some of them here.
"Automatic meter reading, or AMR, is the technology of automatically collecting consumption, diagnostic, and status data from energy metering devices (gas, electric) and transferring that data to a central database for billing, troubleshooting, and analyzing. This technology mainly saves utility providers the expense of periodic trips to each physical location to read a meter. Another advantage is that billing can be based on near real-time consumption rather than on estimates based on past or predicted consumption," Mizan said adding that it will also address the bulk consumers' issues like overbilling or loadshedding and power interruption history.