New Delhi: The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate demand aggregation and large-scale deployment of smart domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) meters across the City Gas Distribution (CGD) sector.
The collaboration aims to establish a structured ecosystem bringing together CGD entities, technology providers, manufacturers, system integrators and other relevant stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of smart domestic PNG metering.
The MoU was signed by Anjan Kumar Mishra, Secretary, PNGRB, and Akhilesh Kumar Dixit, CEO, EESL.
PNGRB to Support Smart PNG Metering Through Regulatory Framework
Under the MoU, PNGRB will facilitate the initiative from the regulatory and sectoral perspective.
The regulatory body will share relevant information and support stakeholders on areas including:
- Standards for smart domestic PNG meters
- Certification requirements
- Regulatory developments
- Conformity assessment
- Inspection requirements
PNGRB will also facilitate stakeholder consultations and interactions to help create a coordinated ecosystem for smart meter deployment.
The board will further leverage EESL’s project development and implementation experience to support the large-scale deployment of smart meters across CGD entities.
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EESL to Lead Demand Aggregation and Market Assessment
EESL will undertake demand aggregation for domestic PNG smart meters and coordinate with CGD entities and stakeholders across the smart metering ecosystem.
The company will also use its technical capabilities and industry network to assess market requirements and identify suitable implementation models.
Its responsibilities will include:
- Demand aggregation for smart PNG meters
- Coordination among CGD entities and ecosystem stakeholders
- Market assessment
- Technical evaluation
- Exploring competitive procurement
- Price discovery
- Developing suitable models for supply and installation
- Operation and maintenance (O&M) models
These efforts are expected to support more efficient procurement and deployment of smart PNG metering solutions.
EESL Has Installed Over 44.5 Lakh Smart Meters
EESL already has significant experience in smart metering and large-scale energy efficiency projects.
The company has implemented more than 44.5 lakh smart meters across:
- Uttar Pradesh
- Haryana
- Bihar
- Delhi
- Rajasthan
- Andaman & Nicobar Islands
EESL is also responsible for the operation and maintenance of these meters for 8–10 years, giving it substantial experience in managing large-scale smart metering infrastructure.
MoU to Promote Standardisation and Innovation in CGD Sector
The collaboration between PNGRB and EESL is expected to create a more coordinated approach towards the adoption of smart domestic PNG meters.
The initiative is aimed at promoting:
- Standardisation of smart metering systems
- Interoperability
- Innovation
- Efficient implementation
- Coordinated procurement
- Wider adoption across CGD networks
By bringing regulators, CGD companies, manufacturers, technology providers and system integrators together, the partnership seeks to address key requirements for scaling up smart PNG metering across the country.
Smart PNG Meters to Support Digitalisation of Gas Distribution
The large-scale deployment of smart domestic PNG meters is expected to strengthen the digitalisation of the CGD sector and support more efficient metering systems.
The demand aggregation approach could also help CGD entities benefit from coordinated procurement and improved price discovery, while the regulatory support from PNGRB can help ensure compliance with applicable standards and certification requirements.
The MoU therefore establishes a framework for collaboration between the regulatory and implementation sides to accelerate smart metering adoption in India’s growing city gas distribution network.
About EESL and PNGRB
Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) is a joint venture of state-run power sector companies and works on energy efficiency and related programmes. It has implemented large-scale initiatives including the Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) programme and smart metering projects across several states.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is the statutory regulator for the downstream petroleum and natural gas sector in India. It regulates and promotes the development of the petroleum and natural gas pipeline and City Gas Distribution sectors while safeguarding consumer interests.
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