2nd October 2022, Kathmandu
Nepal Electricity Authority is going to get radio frequency for smart meters. The notification of the government’s decision to give Rs 12 million per megahertz has been published in the gazette.
The Cabinet meeting decided to amend the Radio Communication (License) Rules 2049 and decided to give the required frequency for smart meters, which has been published in the gazette. It is stated that clause (c) has been added after clause (b) of chapter 6 of schedule 7 of the regulation.
Now it will be easy as the radio equipment used in the network established to provide services like smart electricity meters, telemetry, and other similar services will be allowed to use the frequency.
According to the revised provisions, in the case of radio equipment used in networks established to operate or provide services such as smart electricity meters, telemetry, or other similar services without matching with any public telecommunication network using frequencies from 30 MHz to 10.5 GHz, the RF occupied by such networks based on bandwidth, per MHz frequency should be provided at Rs.12 million for bandwidth.
Now all suitable bands except telecommunications are open for telemetric technology. Although the electricity authority demanded free frequency for smart meters, the government had to pay the money after the authority had to pay a fee for the frequency. Now the relevant bodies including the Electricity Authority can apply for the required frequency.
The Electricity Authority has launched various schemes for connecting smart meters to provide quality electricity service to customers.
The authority has already completed the installation of around one lakh smart meters under two distribution centers in Kathmandu and aims to complete the installation of smart meters in all households in the valley in the current financial year.
