500,000 smart prepayment meters for Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) is to install 500,000 smart prepayment meters as part of an advanced metering infrastructure solution from Itron.
The BREB, a state organisation and the largest power distributor in Bangladesh, is modernising its distribution system, with the project also opening the way for empowering customers with greater visibility and control over their energy usage.
The smart prepayment meters should enable automated meter reading, improved billing accuracy and reduced system losses, while also customers should benefit from time-of-use tariffs and detailed energy usage information accessed through a web portal.
In addition to laying the groundwork for a more robust and resilient grid, BREB should be enabled to connect customers’ smart home devices with Itron’s AMI solution.
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Advanced data analytics and distribution network visibility will empower BREB to optimise infrastructure investments, improve outage management and seamlessly integrate renewable energy sources.
New capabilities enabled through the deployment of Itron’s solutions should result in enhanced customer service through more timely issue resolution, improved communication and greater transparency.
Nafiza Islam, Deputy Managing Director at SQ Group, Itron’s channel partner that will deliver the meters with the BREB, says the country is facing daily electricity shortage, driven by rapid economic growth, that leads to load shedding several times a day.
“The implementation of AMI is a significant milestone for BREB as they are harnessing technology to transform and become a smart utility.”
The AMI solution to be deployed includes Itron’s UtilityIQ headend software suite for comprehensive data management and analysis. Additionally, dedicated services such as network design and deployment support are aimed to ensure seamless implementation and ongoing project support.
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