"Smart meters are the basis of a digitized and more resilient distribution network. By integrating them into the electricity distribution infrastructure, we improve the interface with our customers, we have the opportunity to develop and provide support for new market services such as flexibility and/or aggregation of electricity transit. The integration of decentralized production as well as energy storage in distribution networks cannot be done without smart metering, thus through our commitment to install a smart meter at each of our customers, be it consumer, producer or prosumer, we contribute essentially to the realization of the energy transition in Romania" said Mihai Pește, General Manager Rețele Electrice.
In order to meet the established objectives, Rețele Electrice companies continued to implement smart meters installations in the Banat, Dobrogea and Muntenia regions, according to the implementation calendar established by the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) since 2015. Over 171,000 smart meters will be installed in the current year.
Additional details about the installation schedule for each of the counties of Arad, Caraș Severin, Hunedoara, Timișoara, Călărași, Constanța, Ialomița, Tulcea, Ilfov, Giurgiu and Bucharest are available here.
Thus, until the end of 2024, the three Rețele Electrice companies remain the leaders of the electricity distribution segment in Romania in terms of smart metering, with almost 1.7 million smart meters installed for residential customers and companies: over 783,000 at Rețele Electrice Muntenia (which serves Bucharest and the counties of Ilfov and Giurgiu), more than 480,000 at Rețele Electrice Banat (counties of Arad, Caraș Severin, Hunedoara and Timiș), respectively over 412,000 at Rețele Electrice Dobrogea (counties of Călăraşi, Constanța, Ialomița and Tulcea).
The degree of coverage of smart meters will reach at the end of 2024 at 53% for customers served by Rețele Electrice Muntenia, 50% for those in Banat and 59% for those in Dobrogea, these representing the highest percentages of coverage in the entire country.
Smart meters represent a modern generation of measuring devices, which gradually replace the old generation of meters, according to the plans approved by ANRE. This replacement is at no additional cost to customers. When the smart meter is an integral part of a smart metering system and actively communicates with the central system, customers enjoy numerous benefits, one of which is that index transmission is no longer necessary, and bills reflect actual consumption. According to the regulations in force, electricity distributors have the obligation to exchange old generation meters with new ones. In order to enjoy all the benefits offered by the smart meter, electricity users also have a legal obligation to allow access to representatives of the distribution operator, if the meter is inside the home.
