Moldova-based ADD Grup and Eximprod Power Systems have won the tender for 620,000 smart meters to be deployed in Romania.

The project includes 550,000 single-phase smart meters, 67,000 three-phase smart meters and 3000 data concentrators. The companies have already started implementation.

The data transmission technology, as in most projects delivered by ADD Grup, is based on Prime version 1.3.6, which has proven its practicality and efficiency in more than 22 million smart meters installed around the world.

All the smart meters are supplied with an integrated PLC modem and with the ability to upgrade to Prime 1.4 in the Cenelec and FCC bands replacement of firmware, as well as with an RS485 interface and support for a 3GPP communication module with the ability to install a modem without removing the smart meter. This gives local utility Distributie Energie Oltenia (DEO) flexibility in transferring customers from being energy consumers to prosumers.

This project is one of the additional stages of DEO’s grid modernisation strategy. By updating the consumption monitoring system, the reliability of the power grid also increases. In the event of a breakdown, outage or energy loss in the grid, the problem is immediately detected, which leads to quicker elimination, due to 100% registration and more than 98% data collection of ADD Grup smart meters. Thus, DEO is trying to ensure an uninterrupted power supply to its end customers.

The deployment of smart meters from ADD Grup is part of a complex implementation of AMI (advanced metering infrastructure), including data concentrators and integration with head-end software. ADD smart meters are compatible with third-party devices also based on the Prime standard and, in the future, they can be seamlessly integrated with other devices, which will allow DEO to continue modernisation and expansion of the power grid.

Through technical improvement of the power grid, DEO strives to increase network capacity bandwidth to connect new consumers, reduce technical and commercial energy losses, assure power quality, and satisfy the growing demand from existing consumers.

This is the third project ADD Grup has delivered to DEO. The first was in 2017 and served as the basis on which was DEO formed its concept for technologies understanding and defining the strategy for the deployment of smart meters in Romania. The second project, the deployment of 10,000 smart meters, was implemented earlier this year.

DEO is a part of CEZ Group in Romania and has operated in the Romanian market since 2005 supplying electricity to nearly 1.5 million clients in seven counties from Oltenia and partially Muntenia.

Eximprod Power Systems, as part of the Eximprod group of companies, specialises in the local energy market. In the past 25 years, the continuous research and development, the investments and the expansion in new areas have made Eximprod a group of companies with over 400 employees, dedicated to manufacturing, energy automation and smart grids, software development, turnkey projects, electrical design, and development of wind and solar parks.