Inside Serbia’s smart metering project
Serbia’s smart metering project, initially announced in 2021, has recently received funding to install much needed AMI across the country. The project has been developing steadily and Jovan Vujasinović, chief executive officer for VF Holding, shared some insights into its development and how it is planned to begin rollout at the beginning of next year.
Vujasinović, the CEO of VF – a consulting company working on the smart metering project – laid out how the project has been progressing in a presentation at Enlit Africa today in Cape Town, South Africa.
According to Vujasinović, the project was designed as a step toward full digitalisation of the country’s electricity distribution system. Two main goals guiding the project have been reducing electricity losses on the network and enabling more efficient connections for the country’s consumers.
“In Serbia we have (so far) installed about 100,000 meters, using GPS communication and the G3 PLC module,” he said.
The current smart meter project aims to install 230,000 smart meters with installations planned to start early in 2024.
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NB IoT was chosen, he added, due to the increasing need for near-real time meter data, which necessitated a switch to a communication system with the necessary “scalability, security and lifetime/system availability of at least 15 years”.
The project received funding support in August last year of €7.8 million ($8 million) from the EU through the Western Balkans Investment Framework, in addition to a €32.2 million ($35.1 million) loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
According to Vujasinović, and illustrated in his diagram to the right, new components for the project – which will be purchased through a tender – include Meter Data Management (MDM), Automatic Meter Management (AMM) and AMM legacy for part one, telecommunication services for part two and new smart meters (SM1, SM2 and SMn) for part 3.
The smart metering project’s solution further proposes procurement of all components for a centralised AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) system in the country, while considering software and smart meters that have already been installed.
Key components for such a system would be an information system, smart meters, communication technology and balance metering, with the latter “very important for detecting and reducing losses”.
Additionally, the project aims to bring down costs associated with metering, for example by having one central control centre, rather than five in each distribution area.
This, states Vujasinović, “is the first step to future proof the digital system.”
Another benefit of the smart metering will be to enhance knowledge across their operating areas, especially when it comes to “knowing about team installers, where they are and what they’re measuring. They will not leave measuring points before notification from their team about installation completion.”
The smart metering project is aimed to support rollout by distribution company Elektrodistribucija Srbije of approximately 205,000 smart meters in the cities of Kraljevo, Čačak and Niš along with the associated advanced metering infrastructure.
The project is also hoped to reduce commercial and technical losses and help improve efficiency of electricity supply in the country, which is not a member of the EU, although its membership is under negotiation.
Other benefits anticipated include increased bill collection rates, savings on meter readings and better fraud detection.
Vujasinović also confirmed expectations of an announcement from the European Investment Bank (EIB) of a project to install 400,000 smart meters in the country.
