1. Challenges in adoption of
International model of consumer
protection in India for mass roll out
of smart Energy meters
Prof C.BALASUBRAMANYA
Free lance consultant ( metering solutions & technology)
Prof.CEES (SMART METERS AND SMART GRIDS)

2. Content
1. Introduction
2. Meter value management
3. Definitions of smart metering
4. Main drivers for roll-out
5. Cost benefit analysis & status of roll-out
6. Summary & next steps

3. Introduction
•
The need for a status review and detailed analysis of smart
meters in Europe was expressed at the first CEF in October
2008
•
A worldwide trend: substantial changes are under way in
the technology of utility meters (electricity, gas, heat,
water)
•
In March 2009, the EC gave a Mandate to the
standardisation bodies (CEN, CENELEC, ETSI) to develop an
open architecture for utility meters involving
communication protocols and functionalities enabling
interoperability

4. Legal background
• At European level, 2 legislative acts refer to smart
meters in gas and electricity:
– Directive 2006/32/EC on energy-use efficiency and energy
services: Member States have to ensure that, under
certain circumstances, “final customers for electricity,
natural gas, (…) are provided with competitively priced
individual meters that accurately reflect the final
customer's actual energy consumption and that provide
information on actual time of use”

5. Legal background
– Directives of the 3rd package 2009/72&73/EC: Member
States have to ensure “the implementation of intelligent
metering systems that shall assist the active participation
of consumers in the electricity/gas supply market. The
implementation of those metering systems may be
subject to an economic assessment of all the long-term
costs and benefits to the market and the individual
consumer or which form of intelligent metering is
economically reasonable and cost-effective and which
timeframe is feasible for their distribution.”

6. ERGEG status review
Methodology:
•
Based on the result of one questionnaire for
electricity & one for gas administered by the NRA of
EU Member States + Norway & Iceland for the
situation as of May 2009
•
25 countries answered
•
Scope: mass market i.e. households and SMEs

7. Meter value management
– Concerns collection, treatment and use of the data provided
by the utility metering systems
– Is central to market functioning
– In 23 out of 25 countries in electricity and 18 out of 21 in gas
the responsibility lies with the DSO
– Except for Germany and Great Britain (and Latvia for
gas only)

8. Definition of smart metering (1/2)
•
Many regulators do not have a definition and several terms are
used: “smart”, “intelligent”, “advanced” meters
•
In electricity, all regulators use the term “smart metering” or
equivalent:
–
For almost all of them, it describes a system that accurately reflects the
customer’s energy consumption, provides information on the time of use
and allows remote meter reading, i.e. AMR as a minimum
–
And, for 15 of them, a system that supports 2-way communication,
remote connection/disconnection, local display devices etc..., i.e. AMM

9. Definition of smart metering (2/2)
•
In gas, 7 regulators use the term “smart metering” or
equivalent
–
For all of them, it describes a system that accurately reflects
the customer’s energy consumption, provides information on
the time of use and allows remote meter reading
–
And, for 4 of them, a system that supports 2-way
communication, remote connection/disconnection, local
display devices, etc...

10. Main policy drivers for a roll-out of smart
metering
Main policy drivers for smart metering
16
electricity (# of countries)
14
gas (# of countries)
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
more frequent meter reads
energy efficiency
peak-load management

11. Key regulatory tools in smart metering
Key regulatory tools in smart metering
12
electricity (# of countries)
10
gas (# of countries)
8
6
4
2
0
legal obligations
financial incentives
development of meter
standardisation
minimum functional
requirements

12. Cost benefit analysis Electricity
CBA have been conducted
CBA are in progress
Not available

13. Status of large scale roll-out
Electricity
Large scale roll-out achieved
Large scale roll-out decided
Large scale roll-out under discussion
Not available

14. Cost benefit analysis
Gas
CBA have been conducted
CBA are in progress
Not available

15. Status of large scale roll-out
Gas
Large scale roll-out achieved
Large scale roll-out decided
Large scale roll-out under discussion
Not available

16. Content
1. Introduction
2. Meter value management
3. Definitions of smart metering
4. Main drivers for roll-out
5. Cost benefit analysis & status of roll-out
6. Summary & next steps

17. Summary of main findings
•
Definitions of smart metering differ: remotely readable or
two-way communication meters depending on energy and
on country
•
Main drivers of large scale roll-out are common to gas &
electricity and to all countries
•
Smart metering roll-out timetables differ for electricity and
gas

18. Conclusion and next steps
•
At this stage, the number of roll-outs and projects differ
between European countries and may well undergo
substantial changes in the near future
•
More work has to be done :
– to define smart meters and their functional requirements
– to ensure interoperability at national (& European) level
– to establish a transparent methodology for cost benefit analysis
•
ERGEG therefore plans to continue its dialogue and analysis
with stakeholders to develop recommendations on
regulatory aspects of smart metering such as defined in the
EU legislation

19. Annexes

20. Main policy drivers for a roll-out of smart metering
•
Main drivers
•
•
•
Energy efficiency
More frequent meter readings
Peak load management
15 countries for electricity /10 for gas have mentioned all 3 or a combination
of them
•
Key regulatory tools
•
•
•
•
Legal obligation
Minimum functional requirements
Financial incentives
Meter standardisation

21. Status of large scale roll-out
•
Achieved
–
–
•
in electricity in 2 countries: Italy and Sweden (more than 90% of
population equipped)
In gas in 0 countries
Decided to perform a large-scale roll-out
–
–
•
In electricity in 4 countries: Denmark, Finland, Greece and Spain
In gas in 1 country: Italy
Under discussion
–
–
in electricity in 12 countries: Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, France,
Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal and Slovak Republic
In gas in 5 countries: France, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands and
Slovenia

22. Cost benefit analysis
•
Has been conducted
–
–
•
for electricity in 8 countries: Czech Republic, Finland, France,
the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden
for gas in 3 countries: Italy, the Netherlands and Spain
Is in progress
–
–
for electricity in 7 countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark,
Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and Poland
for gas in 8 countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany,
Great Britain, Ireland, Poland and Slovenia