FEDCO ties up with Australian 'Village Energy'

Kolkata: FEDCO, an Odisha-based electric utility company signed a memorandum of understanding with Australia-based 'Village Energy' for installing smart meters and demand-side management (DSM) measures in its areas of operation. Under the memorandum, Village Energy will implement next-gen technology along with smart meters for better consumer service in FEDCO’s rural area of operations.

FEDCO is a 100% subsidiary of Feedback Infra, provides electricity to consumers across areas in Odisha and Meghalaya. FEDCO will roll out the pilot phase that will involve implementation of Village Energy platform at distribution transformers (DTR) within a single feeder system. A Village Energy smart meter and control device (VEDA) will be installed and maintained at each LV connection and supply point.

Village Energy's Platform establishes base level reliability and optimises energy costs in case of multiple sources of energy. It installs a smart device that allows the firm to effectively manage power demand.

“This will be a step towards better consumer delight and a step towards making real-time technology viable for rural consumers. We are confident that with the introduction of this technology, our cost of service to consumers residing in rural areas will be drastically reduced without compromising on consumer service” said Devtosh Chaturvedi, managing director, FEDCO in a statement.

“This initiative has the potential to create new opportunities for electricity consumers across India. FEDCO is an innovator in service delivery and we look forward to building an enduring relationship with them as we implement the objectives of this MoU,” said Ben Hamilton, co-founder & CEO of Village Energy.

Founded in 2018, Village Energy aims to help eliminate energy poverty by building thriving communities through the use of advanced technology that helps grid operators improve the reliability and affordability of providing energy to consumers.

FEDCO provides low-tension (LT) electricity in the two states with the objective of creating greater operational efficiencies, better load management and improvement in consumer services. FEDCO services nearly 75,000 customers in Meghalaya and operates in State’s four sub-divisions: Mawsynram, Mawkyrwat, Nangalbibra and Phulbari.

In Odisha, FEDCO operates as a distribution franchisee in four electricity divisions - Puri, Balugaon, Khurda and Nayagarh - servicing nearly half a million consumers. Its participation in Odisha has ensured AT&C loss reduction by 26% and financial turnaround, making ARR-ACS cash positive within 5 years of operation in a predominately (up to 90%) rural area.