After row, new tender for smart meters out

TNPDCL planning to finish entire tender process, award contract by May end, start installation work in June

- S GURUVANMIKANATHAN @ Chennai

THE Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL), the state's discom, has reissued tenders for installing 3.05 crore smart meters across the state as part of the union government's Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).

The total value of the tender, which has been floated as six packages, is said to be ₹19,922.44 crore. The issuance of fresh tenders was necessitated due to the cancellation of the original tenders, issued in August 2023, due to a delay of more than a year.

The tenders were cancelled in December 2024 after Adani Energy Solution Limited (AESL), which emerged as the lowest bidder in one of the four packages, did not agree to reduce the quoted price as demanded by Tamil Nadu that cited the lower price the company reportedly offered in few other states.