Siemens Smart Infrastructure and CPFL Energia, one of the largest energy distributors in Brazil, have joined forces to transform the Brazilian electricity sector with a smart metering project.

The initiative will be one of the most ambitious of its kind in Brazil to date, replacing around 1.6 million conventional meters with smart meters in the state of São Paulo by 2029.

With 10.7 million customers in 687 municipalities, CPFL Energia is pioneering digitalisation and operational efficiency through smart meter data management. This technology offers quality, transparency and efficiency in the use of electricity. Among the main benefits is the improvement in the management of power supply interruptions, enabling consumers to monitor their own consumption and encourage changes in usage to reduce electricity costs and promote more mindful energy consumption. 

“In partnership with Siemens, our goal is to proactively meet future regulatory demands and optimise the power grid to support the energy transition,” said Evaldo Baldin, engineering director at CPFL Energia (www.cpfl.com.br). “The implementation of smart meters will bring a new, more transparent, connected and higher-quality consumer experience. By digitalising the grid, we will be able to optimise processes and improve efficiency and operational management.”

Sabine Erlinghagen, CEO of Siemens Grid Software (www.siemens-energy.com), added: “Digitalisation is vital to creating a sustainable and resilient energy future. Using Siemens’ technology, CPFL Energia will be able to improve its operational efficiency, as well as offer economic benefits and a reliable energy supply to household consumers. The implementation of smart meters not only improves grid management, but also significantly contributes to reducing carbon emissions.” 

Siemens’ Gridscale X Meter Data Management imports and processes vast amounts of data to provide critical insights into energy consumption. Automatic validation and quality data enable utilities to provide accurate billing and customise rate plans, as well as proactively stabilise energy usage, advance loss detection, manage devices and integrate easily throughout a utility’s operations.

With the growing need to optimise operations and improve communication with customers, the system offers tools that enable intelligent management of the data collected by the meters. The system integrates with enterprise resource planning (ERP) and other applications, using machine learning to identify fraud, optimise costs and reduce interruptions.