The CESC Challenge is to improve the efficiency of their meter-to-cash cycle by developing an automated solution to replace their current manual meter reading process. Their current process involves 600 meter inspectors manually recording over 28 lakh meter readings in books and transporting them for data entry. CESC is looking for a low-cost enterprise mobility solution to capture meter readings with minimal human intervention to improve speed, accuracy, and productivity. They currently have options like AMR, MRI, and HHI being evaluated and are open to other automated and mobile solutions.

1. The CESC Challenge
Suggest a low-cost technology solution to improve the overall
efficiency of the current meter reading process

2. The Facts
• One of the largest private sector power utility companies in India
• Distributing power to the city of Kolkata and its adjoining areas since 1897
• A
fully
integrated
business
model
constituting
generation, transmission, distribution and coal mining
• 1225 MW of power generated in-house across a 567 sq. km. area and serving
27 lakh consumers
• More than 80% energy requirement for in-house generation, meeting a peak
demand of 1900+ MW
• Several mission critical applications including billing, CRM, etc. have been
developed by the in-house team

3. Background on Challenge – Existing
Meter Reading Process
• 28 lakh+ meters are read every month by around 600 meter inspectors
• These readings cover an area of 567 Sq. Km. in the city of Kolkata and its
adjoining areas
• The meter readings are manually copied on bulky meter reading books that are
carried to the consumer’s premises by the meter inspectors
• The meter reading books with the meter readings duly transcribed on them are
returned to the corresponding regional office by the meter inspector

4. Background on Challenge Existing Meter Reading Process
• The meter readings available in the meter books are keyed in by a set of clerks
on a separate computer system located in the Regional Office
• The relevant data entered in the Regional Office is transmitted from there to
the Central IT Department via CESC’s Captive High Speed Optical Fiber Network
(CESCNET)
• 27 lakh+ bills are computed, processed and printed on the basis of the data
made available to the Central Enterprise Server running in the Corporate Data
Center
• Agents also carry tools such as product leaflets, brochures, some comparative
information from the market, etc.
• Several documents including proposal form, supporting, KYC requirements and
many mandatory signatures are then obtained

5. Background on Challenge –
Existing Meter Reading Process (Pictorial
Representation)
AUTOMATED METER
READING
METER READING
INSTRUMENT
METER INSPECTOR
AMR DATA LANDING
STATION
METER READING
DATA ENTRY
OPERATORS
BILLING SERVER AT DATA
CENTRE
MRI DATA DOWNLOADING
STATION

6. The Problem
• The Meter-to-Cash cycle currently in use has a number of
limitations, such as low productivity, need for more manpower, low
operational speed and limited accuracy
• Internal processes mandatorily require readings to be taken every
month

7. The Challenge Statement
The Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation would like to improve the overall
efficiency of the existing Meter-to-Cash cycle by:
 Improving speed and accuracy of data capture
 Improving productivity
 Developing an automated solution with minimum to no human
intervention
Suggest an appropriate low cost Enterprise Mobility Solution for
replacing the existing practice of carrying bulky meter reading
books to consumer premises

8. The Challenge Statement - Details
Below are the numbers of the LT Meters in circuit of the CESC system as of June
2013:
Type of LT Meter
Numbers
Electromechanical meters (Superior
grade)
12,72,674
Electromechanical meters (Nonsuperior grade)
5,92,956
Electronic meters (with optical port)
7,55,971
Electronic Meters (without optical
port)
1,92,136
LT-CT Meters (covered under AMR)
6,000
Total number of LT Meters in circuit
28,19,737

9. Important Points to Remember
The technology options that are currently available to CESC include:
 Automatic Meter Reading system (AMR)
o Around 25000 AMRs available
o This system can scale up to a maximum of 5% of the total
meter population
 Meter Reading Interface (MRI)
o Around 10000 meters available
 Handheld Interface Unit (HHI)
o This option is currently being evaluated
 Enterprise Mobility
o This option is currently being evaluated