The new smart meter was presented this morning to Paolo Gentiloni, Italy’s Prime Minister, by Francesco Starace, Enel's Chief Executive Officer, and Livio Gallo, Enel’s Head of Global Infrastructure and Networks.
e-distribuzione launches plan to replace digital meters with Open Meters in 32 million households and businesses in Italy.
Developed entirely in Italy by e-distribuzione, with an innovative design conceived by the architect Michele De Lucchi, the new smart meter is the result of a process that reflects technological evolution in the field of metering and remote management.
250 companies are involved in the installation work, with 4,000 technicians working around the country.
Rome, June 26th, 2017 – Enel CEO, Francesco Starace, and the Head of Enel's Global Infrastructure and Networks Division, Livio Gallo, presented the "Open Meter" project, the digital meter 2.0, to Italy’s Prime Minister, Paolo Gentiloni. The Open Meter will be installed in 32 million households and businesses in Italy, replacing the current first generation meters.
The second-generation smart meter, designed and developed by e-distribuzione, is one of the pillars of the Enel Group's investment plan for Italy, which is focused on renewable energy and digitisation, representing a concrete example of driving innovation in the country.
The plan launched by e-distribuzione envisages, over a 15 year timeframe, the installation of approximately 41 million second generation meters, of which around 32 million replacing the current first generation meters and the remainder resulting from new connections and customer requests. The overall investment destined for the plan amounts to, approximately, 4.3 billion euros, of which 1.3 billion euros for the first 13 million meters by 2019.
Installation will be carried out by some 250 contractors, involving a total of about 4,000 technicians around the country.
The new meter is inspired by the concept of open, accessible, technologically advanced and sustainable energy. E-distribuzione is the first electricity distributor in the world to have already developed the second generation of the remote management system.
Designed by the architect Michele De Lucchi and developed entirely in Italy by e-distribuzione, the second-generation meter is the result of a process that reflects recent developments in the market and technological evolution in the field of metering and remote management. “Open Meter” complies with the specifications for new meters provided for under Resolution 87/2016 of Italy’s Authority for Electricity, Gas and the Water System. With Resolution 222/2017 issued last April, the Authority approved the installation plan for the new meters submitted by e-distribuzione.
The installation of the new e-distribuzione meters will enable Italian customers without rate increases to improve their awareness of electricity consumption, gain access to new services and, looking ahead, participate actively in the new energy market.