Another batch of 18,000 smart meters and associated equipment for the development of advanced metering infrastructure has been delivered. The pilot smart metering project for electricity is implemented by the Ministry of Energy, with support from UNDP Moldova and funding from the Government of Italy, IPN reports.

The authorities explain that these devices will ensure more efficient energy management, eliminating measurement errors and facilitating the rapid detection of grid failures.

The smart meters are installed as part of a program that will run until 2027, which targets 60,000 households. This year, 32,000 meters will be installed in the Center-South distribution networks, managed by Premier Energy and RED Nord. The process started in 2024 with the installation of 3,000 meters. Another 25,000 meters will be installed in 2026.

The selection of places where meters will be installed was made based on clear criteria, including geographical location, population density, energy consumption and energy vulnerability of households. In order to guarantee the representativeness of the project at national level, the selection phase was carried out both by stratified sampling and by statistical methods.

To ensure an efficient implementation, energy distributors received essential equipment for the development of smart metering infrastructure. These include data collection and transmission systems, servers for information management, and communication modules.

Smart meters allow for accurate measurement of energy consumption and eliminate the need for manual reading. Users will benefit from differentiated charges, depending on electricity time slots. Specialists assure that the devices can measure both the energy consumed and the energy produced.