The much-anticipated smart metering project in Meghalaya has taken a decisive turn, with the state government finalizing the tender after a prolonged and complex bidding process. Meghalaya Power Minister AT Mondal revealed that Adani Energy Solutions withdrew from the project by refusing to extend the bid validity period, leaving two contenders in the race. The project, a key component of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted and efficient power distribution across the state.
Detailing the sequence of events, Mondal stated, “The Meghalaya government had issued the first Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) on November 25, 2022, and the bids were opened on February 23, 2023. At that time, there were three bidders. However, one of them was blacklisted—not the bidder directly, but one of its venture partners. The matter was referred to the Regulatory Advisory Committee (RAC), which confirmed the blacklisting. Consequently, the issue was taken to the Board of Directors, and the bidder was informed that they were not qualified.”
He further explained, “The disqualified bidder then approached the Honourable High Court, which upheld the decision. After exhausting all legal avenues, we ultimately canceled that bid. We then retendered the project on January 15, 2024, and once again, three bidders participated.”
However, the second round of bidding encountered fresh complications. “A complaint surfaced that one of the bidders had been blacklisted in Jharkhand, and subsequently in Haryana by one of its DISCOMs. We wrote to them for clarification, and they responded that the matter had been resolved and the ban had been lifted. Accordingly, we proceeded with the process,” Mondal said.
By then, however, the bid validity period had expired. “We requested all bidders to extend the bid validity. While two bidders agreed, MS. Adani Energy Solutions did not. As a result, we opened the bids of the remaining two contenders, and one of them successfully secured the contract. We then presented the matter to the Cabinet, and today, the Cabinet has given its approval,” he confirmed.
The project has now been awarded to MS Anvil Cables Pvt Ltd, Kolkata. The implementation is strictly time-bound, with a sunset date set for March 31, 2026.
Mondal emphasized the larger objective of the project, which falls under the Government of India’s RDSS initiative. “This scheme is designed to provide 24/7 uninterrupted, quality, and affordable power supply while improving the operational efficiency and financial stability of DISCOMs. The initiative aims to bring down Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses and bridge the gap between the actual cost of supply and revenue realization,” he explained.
He further elaborated, “The scheme consists of three main components—metering, which is the first; distribution infrastructure work, the second; and project management, the third. The appointment of an Advance Metering Infrastructure Service Provider (AMISP) for prepaid smart metering in MePDCL has now been approved on a DBFOOT basis under RDSS.”
Adani Energy Solutions, formerly known as Adani Transmission, is a part of the Adani Group, founded and chaired by Gautam Adani. The company’s decision to withdraw from the bid extension ultimately reshaped the course of the Meghalaya government’s ambitious smart metering project.