Accelerating digital transformation in the electricity industry

Multi-faceted

Previously, when operating mechanical meters, at each reading period, power workers had to go directly to the customer's electricity usage location to record the readings using photos taken via camera, transferred to tablet software and updated to customer management software. This method requires a lot of manpower and will not be able to avoid errors during operation.

The application of remote measurement technology using electronic meters has many outstanding benefits, in accordance with international standards. Data from electronic meters will be transmitted to the control center, and electricity consumption will be updated on EVN's customer care apps installed on mobile devices.

Customers can view their electricity consumption at any time and location, thereby proactively adjusting their electricity usage accordingly.

The application of remote measurement technology has brought many outstanding benefits to electricity customers. Photo: Tam Phuc.

The application of electronic meters also improves data transparency and communication with customers. Through online data monitoring, the electricity industry can quickly detect and promptly handle incidents when customers have a sudden increase in electricity consumption. The quality of electricity supplied to customers is therefore improved and stabilized.

Remotely collected meter data also contributes to the calculation of electricity bills, monitoring and reducing losses, power quality, calculating and improving power supply reliability indicators, monitoring the operating status of transformer stations and lines to improve grid safety.

Over 24 million remote electronic meters installed

Implementing the Government 's Resolution on e-Government, including the direction "Application of information technology, deployment of smart meters in remote electricity metering towards building a smart electricity metering system", member units of Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) have built a roadmap for installing electronic meters combined with a remote metering data collection system every year.

To date, EVN has installed over 24 million electronic meters. According to statistics as of May 31, 2023, 80.26% of remote-reading electronic meters out of a total of more than 30.5 million meters are selling electricity to customers.

The Hanoi area managed by Hanoi Electricity Corporation and the area of 13 provinces and cities in the Central region from Quang Binh to Khanh Hoa and 4 provinces in the Central Highlands managed by the Central Electricity Corporation (EVNCPC) reached 100%; the Ho Chi Minh City area managed by Ho Chi Minh City Electricity Corporation (EVNHCMC) reached 99.98%; the area of 27 provinces/cities in the North from Ha Tinh and beyond managed by the Northern Electricity Corporation (EVNNPC) reached 72.39%; the area of 21 provinces/cities in the South from Ninh Thuan and Lam Dong province managed by the Southern Electricity Corporation (EVNSPC) reached 67.95%.

Recently, Bac Lieu Electricity Company has completed replacing 100% of mechanical meters with electronic meters with remote data collection function, ensuring conditions for recording indexes for all customers on the same day.

In order to help customers control indexes, track electricity output and electricity bill payment dates easily, from November 2023, Bac Lieu Electricity Company will monitor and record electricity output for the entire month.

According to Mr. Tran Huu Khoa - Deputy Director of Bac Lieu Electricity Company, the features of electronic meters will help reduce inconvenience for people when recording indexes and reduce errors in billing.

Calculating the full monthly electricity price not only helps the electricity industry calculate the electricity revenue generated correctly and sufficiently each month; comply with and meet the requirements and regulations on tax payment obligations to the State, but also helps electricity customers control the index, monitor electricity output and electricity payment date easily and conveniently.

Ms. Tran Be Thuy (residing in Hamlet 2, Ward 7, Bac Lieu City) - a customer of Bac Lieu City Electricity said that changing from a mechanical meter to an electronic meter that reads the index remotely, electricity users like her family find it very convenient. With an electronic meter, just by using an application on a phone device, you can easily view and control the daily and monthly electricity usage index, and can also adjust the amount of electricity consumed to save electricity when necessary.

Recently, the entire Lang Son Electricity Company has focused its human resources to replace and install electronic meters with remote measurement functions. Photo: Tam Phuc.

Sharing about the benefits of deploying remote measurement technology and installing electronic meters, Mr. Phung Minh Hieu - Director of Van Lang Electricity (Lang Son Electricity Company) expressed: "A few years ago, the workers in the electricity industry had a very hard time. The whole Van Lang district has 16,350 electricity meters of all kinds, so on the day of closing the meter index, we had to mobilize a large number of people to participate. Sunny days are still favorable, but on rainy and windy days, travel is limited, so workers have to work hard to ensure work progress".

"Since PC Lang Son deployed remote measurement technology and installed electronic meters, the work of collecting meter data has become much more convenient. On the exact date and time of recording the index, electricity staff only need to extract the customer's electricity usage data, which ensures absolute accuracy. Thanks to the application of remote electronic meters, the staff of Van Lang Electricity's Sales Department has been streamlined, effective and efficient," Mr. Hieu shared.

Mr. Hoang Van Minh (living on Tran Quang Khai Street, Chi Lang Ward, Lang Son City) commented: Since the day my family was installed by Lang Son City Electricity to replace the mechanical meter with an electronic meter with remote measurement function, it has brought many obvious benefits. Thanks to the remote measurement and counting system, combined with the guidance from the Electricity industry staff on how to install and use the EVNNPC.CSKH app, I can easily monitor and manage the data of the meter my family is using at each time of the day, thereby helping me adjust my electricity usage habits in a safe, economical and effective direction. In particular, through this measurement system, I see that the Electricity industry is very transparent in its production and business activities.

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