Agartala, July 25, 2025: Retired engineers of the Electricity Corporation today addressed growing public concerns over smart meters and rising electricity bills. They clarified that there is no link between the installation of smart meters and the recent hike in power charges.

“Smart meters are entirely based on information technology. There is no reason to worry about them. These meters help both consumers and the corporation monitor real-time electricity consumption, which ultimately benefits everyone,” said Sujit Biswas, a former engineer while speaking to media personnel at Agartala Press Club this afternoon.

The engineers said a wave of confusion is sweeping across the state, with many assuming that smart meters are the cause of inflated electricity bills in July. They clarified that the increased charges are actually due to the inclusion of the Fuel and Power Purchase Cost Adjustment (FPPCA) and Sundrie, both of which are determined by the Tripura Electricity Regulatory Commission not the Electricity Corporation.

“FPPCA is a regulatory adjustment based on fuel costs. The Corporation has no control over it. The current month’s spike in bills is due to additional charges accumulated over the last two months,” added Dilip Das, another retired engineer.

They emphasized that smart meters were introduced in Tripura in December 2024 and no technical issues have been reported since. However, errors in manual reading by some staff in a few areas may have caused unusually high bills. “If reported, the local electricity office will look into such errors,” assured Debabrata Laskar.

Highlighting the benefits, the engineers said smart meters improve transparency, reduce human errors, and offer real-time data access. “Smart meters are a step toward modernizing power services and ensuring accountability. We urge citizens to support their use,” said Sudip Kar.

The retired engineers appealed to the public to remain informed and not fall prey to misinformation.