The company says it plans to purchase some 1 mln to 1.2 mln meters in the initial stage, down from the originally planned 1.76 mln, which will reduce the total amount of investment by between 50 mln and 70 mln euros. Therefore, it is updating the qualification requirements for potential bidders.
ESO says it has opted for a more coherent scenario that calls for supplying about 90% of all electricity consumers with smart meters by late 2023.
The company says this will have no major impact on the overall project implementation plan, with the installation of smart meters planned to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2020.
"Those using the remaining 10% of electricity would receive meters after the initial implementation phase – we can say starting in 2024. The goal is to supply all consumers (with meters)," ESO spokesman Tomas Kavaliauskas told.
The operator says smart and, especially, remote metering will help reduce power consumption in that it will allow consumers to better understand their habits and make rational savings decisions.
The project is expected to help reduce network losses and plan investments more accurately. The system will also help create conditions for market deregulation for private customers.
A pilot project carried out in 2017 helped cut power consumption by around 6%.
