Pune: The society chairman of Nikash Lawns in Pashan was baffled when they received an electricity bill of a whopping Rs29,000 for the society’s common areas in Nov 2025.According to chairman Girish Patil, it had been just a month since the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) had installed a Time of Day (ToD) ‘smart’ meter in their complex in Oct last year. Up till then, the cost of operating three tube lights and an automated main gate had been billed at less than Rs1,200 per month. Their usage had not changed — the huge bill was for the same utilities and consumption, said Patil. He told TOI, “MSEDCL officials tested the meter, and we were told that it is functioning fine. When we went to the office, staffers there finally agreed to some mismatch in charges and the bills were rectified. Then, in Feb 2026, we once again received a bill of Rs11,000. This is a significant jump and the timing was right after the new meter came.” Surprisingly, in March, they once again received a bill in the range of Rs1,000, further compounding their confusion. Complaints galore Theirs is not the only such story. After MSEDCL began installing ToD meters in Pune since 2024, around four societies were covered in Kondhwa’s Bhagyodaynagar locality three or four months ago, affecting 150-160 consumers. A resident of one of these societies, Munaf Hasan Shaikh, said, “The bills for several homes rose from Rs900 to Rs1,300 each month. Meanwhile, power cuts in our area have increased and, as a result, overall consumption has gone down. Yet, our bill amounts have risen. How can that be the case?” The business owner also said consumers are not properly informed that their meters are being replaced. Residents of other areas like Bavdhan and Pimpri Chinchwad also alleged that the meters were replaced without their consent, leading to higher bills. Senior citizen Adolf Pais, a resident of Navkar Avenue society in Bavdhan, said, “MSEDCL fitted a new digital meter in our society in Feb 2025, so there was no need for the ToD one in less than a year. Despite being informed about this, officials paid no heed and went ahead with the smart meter installation in Jan. We get a bill of Rs1,000 a month on average. However, despite not being at home for 15 days in Feb, we still got a bill of the same amount. How is that possible with such less consumption? When I asked for a calibration certificate, I was told to go to the Pashan office to get it.” In some cases, consumers said they were not even aware that the smart meters had replaced their old ones. But even those who knew of their existence beforehand professed to facing problems. A resident of Hadapsar, software engineer Vishal Prajapati, said, “I moved to my current residence in Jan 2025. The smart meter was installed here from the start. For the last six months, I have been receiving bills of over Rs3,500 a month. But we have neither an air conditioner nor any heavy appliances. I have checked with a few other residents in our society and those with the same electronics are getting a monthly bill of around Rs2,000.” On the flipside Despite all these complaints, the authorities and some experts said the ToD initiative translates into steady benefits for consumers “if understood properly”. Researcher Shweta Kulkarni, who works with the Prayas Energy Group, a collective dedicated to furthering public interest in the energy sector, said, “The sudden increase in bills immediately following the change in meter can be because of faulty readings on the worn-out or old meter. Many times, it has been observed that the old meters are operating at a lower capacity. There is an increase in capacity used when new meters are installed, which leads to higher fixed charges.” According to her, the same confusion prevailed when meters shifted from mechanical (or analog) to digital (or electronic) ones starting 2010-11. “People feared that the digital meters were running faster than the mechanical ones, but the new ones actually increased accuracy and reduced tampering. Similarly, the new ToD meters are aimed at helping consumers understand and analyse their usage. They can quickly detect if any particular device is not functioning efficiently depending on the time of day it is used. But there is a lack of awareness among consumers about the working of ToD meters,” added Kulkarni. Awareness matters Awareness of how the new tariff system works or the absence of it may be a key differentiator in this equation. In Chikhali, for instance, residents who had vehemently opposed installation of ToD meters in July last year, seem to have changed their stand after an awareness session with the power utility in Feb 2026. Around 1,000 residents from five to eight societies in the area had earlier raised issues with the smart meters. “Residents were anxious about the new meters as they are manufactured by private companies,” said Sanjivan Sangale, a resident of Chikhali, adding, “We were getting higher bills for a couple of months, which led to further irritation. However, after MSEDCL held workshops with us on how to manage the new tariffs, the bills have normalised. We are now accustomed to the ToD meters and are monitoring their power consumption in real-time. This has led to a decrease in ambiguity regarding the bills.” He explained, “We plan usage of appliances, like motor pumps in the buildings and individual washing machines, during daytime hours to avail the benefit of reduced tariffs.” Now, awareness sessions are now being conducted by MSEDCL in more areas to connect with citizens and reduce pushback that might be stemming from lack of communication about the new meters’ benefits. An MSEDCL official said, “The consumers might think that the bills are inflated right now. But it is more of an adjustment issue and it smoothens out eventually. We recently held awareness campaigns over 15 days across various areas to inform consumers about the benefits of smart meters.” Solar power boost Explaining how the system works, MSEDCL officials pointed out that electricity generated using solar power during daytime is much cheaper compared to traditional sources, like thermal or hydro power. “Adoption of solar power by societies and individuals reduces overall demand for power from traditional sources across the grid, thus reducing MSEDCL’s burden. These are the savings that the power utility wishes to pass on to consumers in the form of a discount,” an official told TOI. Till March 2026, the discount rate was calculated at 80 paise per unit during specified daytime hours. From April 1, this amount has been revised to 85 paise per unit, and it could increase to Re1 per unit in the future, officials said. This discount can only be availed after the installation of a ToD meter, and such consumers can schedule their activities to ensure that most electricity usage happens during solar hours (9am to 5pm) to get the maximum benefit. “Consumers with smart meters cumulatively received bills lower by an amount of Rs8.6 crore between July 2025 and Jan 2026. This discount has been credited to their monthly electricity bills,” another official said. At the moment, ToD meters are being installed free of cost, and MSEDCL has appealed to consumers for cooperation. For the 39.71 lakh consumers in Pune circle, MSEDCL has managed to install only 9.84 lakh ToD meters so far. The ongoing plan of action is to install smart meters wherever replacement is due and for new applications. In the first phase of installation, smart meters were set up in all MSEDCL establishments and employees’ quarters, followed by govt offices and staffers’ residences. Official-Speak We have faced strong opposition from consumers in some places to install the new smart meters, without them understanding the benefits. It is a misconception among some sections that the electricity bill after installing ToD meters is high. In fact, ToD meters have higher accuracy when it comes to reading units consumed. Citizens should not fall prey to rumours on social media. They should cooperate with employees and ask questions where they have doubts — Sunil Kakade | Chief engineer, MSEDCL, Pune circle
