Romania continues to install smart electricity meters made by ADD Grup

ADD Grup congratulates Eximprod, a strategic partner, for winning the tender from DISTRIBUTIE ENERGIE OLTENIA (DEO) to supply over 700,000 smart electricity meters for consumers in Romania. This achievement marks the third significant commercial project for mass meter rollout carried out by ADD Grup in the Romanian market.

In accordance with contractual terms ADD Grup in collaboration with Eximprod, will supply 730,000 smart electricity meters and 3,500 ADDAX concentrators to the Romanian market over the next four years.

The foundation of this project stands on the right approach to choosing communication technologies. In 2018 Romania adopted a law requiring the mandatory installation of next-generation smart meters with remote data reading capabilities.

In anticipation of this law, the energy distribution company DISTRIBUTIE ENERGIE OLTENIA, aimed to select a metering system that would ensure interoperability and communication efficiency between the meters and Head-End software.

Therefore, in 2017, DISTRIBUTIE ENERGIE OLTENIA launched four pilot projects: two based on G3-PLC and two based on PRIME PLC. In the end, the PRIME technology (including the one supplied by ADD Grup for one of the pilot projects) demonstrated its best suitability for the tasks set up by the electricity network operator. This became the rationale for choosing PRIME PLC as the foundation for the widespread implementation of smart meters in DISTRIBUTIE ENERGIE OLTENIA’s network.

To date, the awarded tender is the third commercial project based on PRIME PLC supplied by ADD Grup for DEO. This reaffirms the correctness of the chosen technologies and the reliability of the manufactured products.

One of ADD Grup’s major advantages is the level of quality delivered: the average defect rate among smart meters made by ADD Grup is around 0.1% annually.

Romania is one of the largest markets for high-precision measuring equipment produced by ADD Grup. Read more about the projects already implemented in this country: https://addgrup.com/projects/

Background: ADD Grup is the largest promoter of PRIME PLC outside of Spain and Portugal, having tested this technology on more than 2 million electricity meters ADDAX worldwide.

Eximprod is a group of companies that offers a complex portfolio of equipment, solutions and services dedicated to the energy field. Eximprod Power Systems is a leading manufacturer of electrical products from 0.4 to 400 kV.

WEBINAR – Use of Broadband Powerline in E.ON: Strength of Broadband Powerline technology and actual Status of Rollout

On September 27, 2023, from 11:00 to 12:00 (CET), PRIME Alliance organized a webinar in collaboration with PRIME member E.ON on “Use of Broadband Powerline in E.ON: Strength of Broadband Powerline technology and actual Status of Rollout”.

As part of decarbonization, both the demand and the production of electrical energy in the lower grid levels have been increasing significantly for years. In order to meet this need, in addition to a massive expansion of the electricity networks, digitalization for monitoring and control purposes is also required.

E.ON has decided to provide communication for digitalization using a communication mix. The broadband powerline technology, which E.ON is deploying in the low-voltage grid for meanwhile four years, is an essential pillar in the communications mix.

This webinar addressed the use cases, the strengths of the technology as well as how to handle it during rollout and operation in order to make an application successful.

CONTENT:

• Short introduction on E.ON / Bayernwerk
• Why we need Communication and why Powerline
• Main Usecases – Demonstration of Use Case Voltage Monitoring
• Procedure of Rollout (Plan – Build – Run)
• Status of Rollout
• Outlook – Standardization, Interoperability, PRIME Activities

In collaboration with:

Please contact communication@prime-alliance.org in case you want to receive more details to join the webinar.

At the beginning of the year, ADD Grup delivered a trial batch of 2500 electricity meters based on Prime 1.4 technology to Spain for the leading electricity supplier Iberdrola. This is of the four pilot projects that allows Iberdrola to fully prepare for the implementation of a large-scale program to replace electricity meters.

We are talking about the second wave of rollout of smart electricity meters in Spain. The first wave of rollout, which was implemented based on Prime 1.3.6 technology, began in 2010 and was completed until the end of 2018. Accordingly, meters installed more than 15 years ago must now be replaced with new ones.

The purpose of this campaign is to upgrade Spain’s energy infrastructure to the latest generation of Prime communications technology. Upgrading to Prime 1.4 will significantly reduce field work associated with operational costs during network cleaning and subsequent network maintenance. This will lead to a significant reduction in both equipment and labor costs to achieve 100% data collection and connectivity to each of the devices virtually online. This is extremely important in case of frequent on-demand requests (turn off/on relays, real-time alarms) and integration of new services or renewables in the grid.

Iberdrola invited the Moldovan manufacturer to participate in such a large-scale project, since ADD Grup is one of the main Prime promoters in Europe and Latin America. So far, the company’s portfolio already had several successful large-scale projects implemented on this smart technology – in Bulgaria, Latvia, Romania, Poland, Lebanon, as well as some pilots in Brazil, Peru, and Colombia.

To participate in the second wave of electricity meter rollout in Spain, ADD Grup fulfilled several serious requirements from Iberdrola. Among these requirements are: Prime dual stack 1.3.6/1.4 certification, T5 data model certification, as well as special performance tests carried out in the ITE laboratory in Spain.

To qualify as an Iberdrola partner and supplier, ADD Grup’s smart meters had to demonstrate backward compatibility with the existing roll out, interoperability (the ability of a product to interact with other companies’ products and software) and ensure a high percentage of data collection with third-party hubs.

All these tasks were honorably performed by ADD Grup, and the special performance tests were passed even more successfully than expected.

In line with our ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) commitment, ADD Grup empowered Engitech Metering S.L., a joint venture between Obremo and our strategic partner Enprotech to serve the Spanish Market.

Under a license agreement, ADD Grup, with the support of his local strategic partner Enprotech, plans to locally manufacture the newest generation of PRIME Smart Meters and also provide customers with other necessary equipment, such as data concentrators.

WEBINAR – PRIME Hybrid Multi PHY protocol: how to assure the conformance with this new technology

On June 28, 2023, from 11:00 to 12:00 (CET), PRIME Alliance  organized a webinar in collaboration with PRIME members Microchip Technology and Tecnalia on “PRIME Hybrid Multi PHY protocol: how to assure the conformance with this new technology”

The webinar focused on the PRIME Hybrid solution. Using the complementary advantages of PLC and radio frequency (RF) technologies increases reliability, coverage, and security shielding from communication impairments of the PLC and RF mediums. In addition, the new Hybrid solution extends PRIME to new applications and to connect RF-only nodes such as gas meters, water meters, or IoT devices to the network.

Assuring the compliance with the specification is extremely important in order to assure the quality of the devices and interoperability in field. In this webinar a demo of PRIME Multi PHY conformance automated testing tool developed by Tecnalia to assure that the service nodes and base nodes are compliant with the PRIME Hybrid Multi PHY specification according to the testbook defined by the PRIME Alliance were presented.

CONTENT:

• Introduction of PRIME Hybrid Multi PHY Technology
• The importance of certification and assessment process
• Testbook. How to assure the compliance with the specification
• Demo of PRIME Multi PHY Conformance Toolchain

In collaboration with:

Please contact communication@prime-alliance.org in case you want to receive more details to join the webinar.

WEBINAR – PRIME +: An easy definition of DLMS/COSEM profile and implementation in Smart Grid networks

On October 18, 2023, from 11:00 to 12:00 (CET), PRIME Alliance organized a webinar in collaboration with Tecnalia on “PRIME +: An easy definition of DLMS / COSEM profile and implementation in Smart Grid networks”.

This webinar helped attendances to understand and easy way of defining a DLMS/COSEM profile considering each country or user different requirements, functionalities or country-specific regulations. Hence, PRIME Alliance has also developed a questionnaire to collect information allowing to narrow down the generic profile to specific requirements without the need for the user to have knowledge of the DLMS /COSEM protocol. With the help of the questionnaire, users will easily obtain their own User Profile based on PRIME + Companion Profile, suitable to their requirements, while, at the same time, ensuring the advantages of having a standard solution. With this specific user profiles, the applicable tests of the corresponding Test Book, also defined by the PRIME Alliance, can be adjusted and the certification process can be applied.

CONTENT:

• Introduction
• PRIME + object: assuring interoperability in easy way
  • Regulatory considerations
  • Procedure to ensure interoperability
  • Methodology
• PRIME + companion
• PRIME + Test Book
• Conclusions

In collaboration with:

Please contact communication@prime-alliance.org in case you want to receive more details to join the webinar.

WEBINAR – Long-term Membership in PRIME Alliance: The Story of Energa-Operator

Last April 26, 2023, from 11:00 to 12:00 (CET), PRIME Alliance organized a webinar in collaboration with Energa-Operator on “Long-term Membership in PRIME Alliance: The Story of Energa-Operator”

The presentation discussed Energa Operator’s long-standing membership in the PRIME Alliance and its implementation of PRIME technology in its power grid, including an overview of system architecture, PLC meter implementation phases, and PLC interference challenges in low voltage networks in Poland. The proposed solution is to upgrade all possible locations to PRIME 1.4 meters, with ongoing purchases of PRIME 1.4 meters and DCUs. The presentation went over DCU KNCN-11 and the initial PRIME 1.4 implementation before concluding with Energa Operator’s future plans, which included the NILEE meter, PRIME 1.4 Multi PHY, a larger PRIME 1.4 rollout, and finally replacing 1.3.6 meters with 1.4 meters.

CONTENT:

• Energa in PRIME Alliance, basic company information
  • first years of PRIME implementation
  • specifics of power grid in Poland (cross-talks)
• Current implementations overview:
  • PRIME 1.4 BC
  • PRIME 1.4
  • besmart.energy
• Future plans:
  • NILEE meter, PRIME 1.4 Multi PHY

In collaboration with:

Please contact communication@prime-alliance.org in case you want to receive more details to join the webinar.

ZIV is ready for the next PRIME 1.4 Rollout

Tecnalia laboratory has just certified the new ZIV gateway as PRIME 1.4 base node. A robust gateway that will make easier for utilities the deployment of PRIME 1.4 networks. The new standard means an infrastructure upgrade with improved capabilities for LV grid enhanced operation.

Since 2010 PRIME Alliance’s utilities have extensively and successfully deployed and advanced metering infrastructure in the LV grids in over 20 countries worldwide. Now, after over 26 million meters deployed, the necessity to improve the current PRIME 1.3.6 capabilities to support the new Smart grid services and applications has led to the development of PRIME v1.4.

The latest version of the standard includes many improvements. This upgrade seeks an increase in communication robustness and an extension of the usable bandwidth with respect to the previous version of the standard, preparing PRIME for LV grid enhanced operation.

To be ready to address these new challenges, ZIV has developed a 1.4 version of the single and three-phase smart meters and the gateway and is working on the new version of the data concentrator unit. The base node – gateway has just been certified by the Tecnalia Laboratory after a long and demanding certification process. This new model of the 4GWC-L11 Gateway is a compact and robust base node that will ease the transition of the current network to a new improved network based on PRIME 1.4 communications.

Find our more information about PRIME 1.4  here.