Chennai will provide 10,000 phones for electricity assessors

Chennai: Assessors from the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Company Limited (TNPDCL) will soon receive new smartphones to help track electricity usage. Each assessor will be given a new Android phone, with the company approving 10,000 units for this purpose. Last year, TNPDCL began a trial using mobile apps for measuring electricity consumption. This method allowed assessors to enter data directly into the system, which reduced errors in billing. However, assessors faced problems with slow phones and network issues while using their personal devices. Trade unions expressed concerns, suggesting that assessors should have dedicated smartphones for this work. The issues were presented in a TNPDCL board meeting, resulting in the decision to reimburse assessors for the cost of new devices. While this decision is welcome, COTEE president T. Jaishankar emphasized that the ideal situation would involve the company buying phones designed specifically for assessing power usage. He noted that personal smartphones often come with additional apps that could lead to personal use, complicating the purpose of the device. He also raised concerns about maintenance and repair of the phones, calling the current solution only a partial victory.