Moldovan government launches pilot programme on setting smart meters

Chisinau, 13 June /MOLDPRES/ - Smart electricity meters will be set at the public institutions of Moldova and households. A pilot programme to this end, launched by Moldova’s cabinet today, through the Energy Ministry, and carried out with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other partners, is part of a national plan on the digitalization of the energy sector, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported. 

The smart meters will measure the consumption at short intervals and will transmit the data automatically, in a secured way, without mistakes, to the energy distributor, without the need for the providing companies’ employees to physically read meters’ data. At the same time, the provider will invoice the real consumption of energy, not the estimated one, will be able to quicker identify accidents and shorten the intervention time. The first smart meter was set at the government’s building and will help measure and optimize the real consumption of energy.   

Attending the event, Prime Minister Dorin Recean highlighted the progress made by Moldova in the energy sector since 1998, when native engineers were suggesting the first versions of smart meters. ‘’The programme launched will have a major impact on the economy and energy market and will open more opportunities. I demand, at the institutional level, the preparation of all regulations needed, so that all we have from the technological viewpoint now can work efficiently,’’ the PM said.   

„Through this pilot programme, we start a comprehensive process of the energy sector’s digitalization; the smart meters represents a step necessary for the introduction of differentiated tariffs for electric energy, depending on the consumption hour,’’ Energy Minister Victor Parlicov said.    

With smart recipes, clients have better freedom in choosing the bid of supply; can opt for flexible tariffs or the smart meter allows the stocking of six types of tariffs. Thus, consumers will be able to use household appliances during the hours when the energy is the cheapest. The smart household appliances will be able to automatically read the tariffs from the meter and will decide on the most convenient moment to start working.   

„This important initiative is set to start the transformation of the national electricity network into a smart one, providing many advantages and benefits, such as: control of consumption by consumers, improved energy efficiency, cutting of costs and access to valuable data for the energy analysis and taking decisions with full knowledge of the facts,’’ UNDP Resident Representative in Moldova Daniela Gasparikova said.     

In one year, during which the work of the meters and the information on the individual consumption of energy is analyzed, the programme might be extended all over Moldova.

In the European Union, over 50 per cent of the meters are smart, which allowed the reduction of the commercial consumption in network by up to 15 per cent. The intelligent networks have at their basis the need to reduce the consumption at a maximum in the world, in order to cease the dissipation of resources and diminish the effects of the global warming.  

Photo: Government