



I Squared-backed Polaris eyes going public, plans international expansion
Mint in an interview that the company, which currently holds nearly 10% market share in the Indian smart metering space, aims to double its share in the next three to five years.Khaitan did not give a timeline for its public listing plans, but emphasized that the company is well-capitalized for expansion. “We are certainly looking at hitting the public markets.
As soon as I Squared decides, we'll be looking at it.”US-headquartered private equity firm I Squared Capital holds a 51% stake in the company and last invested $100 million in 2023.Smart metering is a rapidly growing segment in the country, with significant potential driven by the government’s ambitious push under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). The scheme initially targeted the installation of 250 million smart meters nationwide by March 2026, but amid slower-than-expected progress, the timeline has since been extended to March 2028.So far, 47.6 million smart meters have been installed in the country, and over 203 million meters have been sanctioned under the RDSS scheme.
Listed companies present in this business include Genus Power Infrastructures Ltd, Adani Energy Solutions Ltd, Tata Power Co. Ltd and HPL Electric and Power Ltd.
Energy Efficiency Services Ltd-backed IntelliSmart and Secure Meters are other major players.Smart meters are expected to offer consumers greater convenience through features such as prepaid recharge options, emergency credit to avoid disconnection due to zero balance, and real-time tracking of electricity consumption. At the same time, they help distribution utilities improve billing and collection efficiency, while offering benefits such as automated energy accounting, improved load forecasting, the use of data
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