Remote reading system covers over 60% of customers

Out of 370,000 electricity consumers in Montenegro, 228,000 or over 60% are included in the system of remote electricity meter reading, state-owned utility Electric Power Company of Montenegro (EPCG) informed news agency Mina-Business.

EPCG stated Enel delivered all the electricity meters for the modernization of electricity consumption measurement project. “In the second stage of the project, 82,000 out of 90,000 planned inspections on measuring sites were finished. We are currently working in Podgorica, Kotor, Budva and Ulcinj and in May we continue to work in other regions,” EPCG said.

The Energy Law prescribes that by 2019 at least 85% of electricity buyers must have a modern system of consumption measurement. Because of that and the excellent results of the project so far, EPCG is planning the third stage of the project, the company stated. The state-owned utility expects 70% of customers will be in the remote reading system when the project is finished.

EPCG started this project in 2011 and in the first stage, worth EUR 40 million, 165,500 multifunctional meters were installed so modern technology covered about 43% of the market. In March, EPCG started the second stage, worth EUR 36 million, during which 80,000 devices will come online. The new system substantially increases measurement precision, and the possibility for human error is lowered at minimum, EPCG added.