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Safeguarding Distribution Transformer Centres in Jaipur

Across India’s fast-urbanizing towns and villages, thousands of distribution transformer centres (DTCs) were left open to the public—unguarded, rusted, and dangerously exposed.Unauthorized access, accidental contact, and metal-fence thefts turned once-benign transformer sites into hazard zones, with recurrent accidents, outages, and maintenance losses.

By 2017, multiple state utilities began raising the same cry:
“We can’t keep replacing stolen metal fences faster than we can install them.”

This was not a localized problem—it was a national safety issue affecting public trust, employee safety, and system reliability.

The Problem

  • Frequent electrocution accidents around open or poorly fenced transformers.
  • Metal fencing thefts driven by scrap value, leaving live assets exposed within weeks of installation.
  • Rapid corrosion due to heat, humidity, and pollution, causing constant repainting and high O&M costs.
  • Non-compliance with CEA safety guidelines, jeopardizing utilities’ audit ratings and public confidence.
  • Public proximity near transformer sites in markets, schools, and narrow streets made even small lapses catastrophic.

The Challenge

  • India’s utilities needed an enclosure that was:
  • Completely theft-proof with zero resale value.
  • Non-conductive and weatherproof, ensuring insulation and longevity.
  • Modular and site-adaptive, easy to install across cities and villages.
  • Zero-maintenance, resistant to rust, UV degradation, and monsoon corrosion.
  • Aesthetic and safe, blending into urban and rural landscapes while enhancing safety.
  • The challenge was to deliver a one-time, permanent fencing solution that would end the install-steal-replace cycle once and for all.

The RMC Solution

RMC Switchgears introduced India’s first engineered FRP (Fibre-Reinforced Plastic) fencing system—a 100% non-metallic, maintenance-free enclosure designed for distribution transformer safety.

Key Innovations

  • Zero-conductivity design eliminating touch and step potential.
  • Non-corrosive composite panels with UV-resistant surface finish for 10-year+ outdoor life.
  • No scrap value → zero theft incentive.
  • Modular kit format adaptable to any transformer plinth or site geometry.
  • Lockable gates with access hierarchy for linemen and inspectors.
  • Zero maintenance and easy replacement of panels if damaged.
  • This fencing system was tested, refined, and standardized in close consultation with leading utilities—creating a new benchmark in electrical infrastructure safety

Execution: Scaling a Safety Revolution

Since 2017, RMC’s FRP Fencing program has expanded across 10 states—Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Goa, Haryana, and Assam—making it one of the largest safety retrofit drives in India’s power sector.

Scope & Reach

  • Over 2,00,000 running meters of FRP fencing delivered and installed.
  • More than 20,000 transformers safeguarded nationwide.
  • Installed in urban streets, rural substations, school zones, and markets.
  • Executed in coordination with utilities, EPC partners, and lineman crews—without disrupting power supply.

Implementation Highlights

  • Survey & Prioritization – Mapping high-footfall, accident-prone DTCs for first-phase coverage.
  • Custom Fabrication – Pre-engineered panel sets cut to plinth geometry to reduce site modification.
  • Rapid Installation – Two-hour modular assembly without welding or excavation.
  • Access Management – Double-leaf gates and tamper-proof locking systems per utility protocols.
  • Ongoing Audits – Visual inspections after monsoon cycles confirmed zero deterioration or corrosion.

Impact: A New Standard in Electrical Safety

  • Zero theft incidents reported at FRP-fenced sites across all utilities.
  • Zero electrocution accidents where RMC fencing is installed.
  • 100% compliance with CEA fencing norms and safety audits.
  • Zero maintenance cost over multi-year operations.
  • Improved public confidence and aesthetics, turning transformer sites from hazards into safe community infrastructure.

“Since adopting RMC’s FRP Fencing, we haven’t lost a single panel to theft or corrosion. It’s a permanent fix for a 50-year-old problem.”

– Chief Engineer, State DISCOM (Feedback, 2024)

Conclusion: From Safety to Sustainability

RMC’s FRP Fencing has redefined what safety means in India’s power sector—a product that saves lives, protects assets, and endures nature itself. By replacing thousands of rusting, theft-prone metal fences with FRP, RMC has helped utilities achieve zero accidents, zero theft, and zero maintenance, aligning with India’s vision of a resilient, smart, and sustainable power infrastructure.

Mitigating Power Theft - The MultiMeter Box Solution

 

Problem:

  • Energy Smart meters in Mumbra near Kalyan were
    tampered with to steal power. This was cited by
    Torrent Power as one of the first instance of power
    theft via smart meter tampering. The solution came
    from the introduction to Multi Meter Boxes: These
    cabinets are designed to accommodate multiple
    energy meters (single or three-phase) with a single
    incoming connection. Each meter’s connection ends
    within the box, drastically reducing tampering
    potential. The locked metering chamber houses the
    meters, while outgoing wires connect to an accessible
    chamber for linemen.

 

Multi Meter Box Strategy:

  •  Relocation & Grouping: Position energy meters
    outside consumer premises, especially in areas not
    easily visible from main roads, and cluster them
    together. This setup discourages individual
    tampering.
  • Access Control: Design meters to be inaccessible to
    linemen, allowing only the outgoing connection box
    to be reached. This further reduces chances of
    tampering from inside.
  • Enhanced Security with Multi Meter Boxes: These
    boxes, designed to accommodate multiple energy
    meters (single or three-phase), ensure connections
    end within the box. A locked metering chamber
    safeguards the meters.
  • Shielded Wiring: Wires, both incoming and outgoing,
    are neatly organized and protected within the boxes.
    Cable tray covers are employed to ensure a neat,
    complication-free setup, making them invisible from
    the outside and reducing tampering potential. 

Safeguarding Distribution Transformer Centres in Jaipur

 

Challenge & Government Guidelines:

  •  Rising incidents of public electrocutions due to
    unguarded access to electrical distribution
    infrastructure in Jaipur.
  • Activities like using transformer corners as urinals
    introduced grounding issues, amplifying electrocution
    risks.
  • Central Electricity Authority (CEA) stipulates fencing
    around accessible transformers:
    1. Shield uninformed public and animals from
    electrocution dangers.
    2. Contain potential fires and mishaps within the
    transformer vicinity.
    3. Ward off street vendors and unaware individuals,
    ensuring their safety.
    4. Preserve the cleanliness and functionality of
    transformer areas for lineman safety and repair
    efficacy.

 

Solution & Implementations:

  • The shift to FRP fencing aims to not only safeguard
    the public but also ensure the durability and efficiency
    of the Distribution Transformer Centres.
  • Metal Fencing: Initially adopted across Rajasthan.
    While effective, they were frequently stolen due to
    resale value, posing financial and technical challenges
    for Discom.

FRP (Fibre Reinforced Plastic) Fencing Advantages:

  •  Theft-resistant due to zero resale value
  • Sturdy and equivalent to metal
  •  Minimal maintenance and cost-effective
  • Rust-proof

Reducing Electrical Loss in Maharashtra's High-Density Zones

Problem:

  • Energy meters were situated in deeply recessed, poorly lit areas,making access and reading challenging.
  • Rampant meter tampering incidents were reported. Even when detected, intimidation and threats prevented whistleblowing.
  • Regions like Kalyan, close to Mumbai, witnessed up to 53% power loss primarily due to illicit power theft.

Innovative Solution: 

Introduction of RMC’s Multi Meter Boxes: These units encapsulate 12 meters in a single structure, complicating consumer efforts to single out their individual meters.

  •  By eliminating easy access points, these boxes ensure protection against tampering attempts.

  • Strategically relocating these boxes to main roads achieves dual objectives: simplifying meter reading tasks and reducing tampering. Their public positioning acts as a deterrent, making tampering attempts risky and less likely.

RMC Switchgears Ltd is a Jaipur-based company manufacturing smart energy enclosures, panels, and electrical safety solutions.