SMART METERING EDF eVALUATES smart metering in Martinique Expectations and local review By Joseph Maire, Benoit Monnier, Laure Chossegros and Urbain Cogoluenhes, EDF EDF Insular Electrical System Division is a division of Electricité de France (EDF), in charge of buying locally produced electricity, transmitting, distributing and retailing electricity in the French overseas territories and in Corsica. With around 3,000 employees, EDF IES supplies approximately one million customers across five main territories: Corsica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, La Réunion, and French Guyana. In 2009, a European directive mandated that member states must rollout at least 80% smart meters before 2020 unless they are able to demonstrate that it makes no economic sense in their local context. In mainland France, Electricité Réseaux Distribution France, the main DSO, has planned to roll out 35 million meters over the next six years. In Corsica and the French overseas territories, EDF IES is presently evaluating smart metering. EDF IES is using the same technical solution as ERDF in France. By collaborating with ERDF, EDF IES has access to a mature and performing solution and benefits from ERDF experience and project learning. As both DSOs are controlled by the same regulator, the use of the same metering solution optimises costs. In the overseas territories, the rollout of smart meters will bring the same benefits as in France, namely an end to estimated bills, remote readings, remote intervention etc. However, there are three main differences: 1. Some of the smart meters rolled out may not communicate back to the utility as expected: this might be due to their isolation (ie meters at the end of an electric line) and more specifically due to the lower telecom coverage. 2. Smart life span will be reduced in most of the overseas territories, apart from Corsica, due to the hot and humid weather. 3. The investment cost for the meters METERING INTERNATIONAL ISSUE - 2 | 2014 is higher than in France due to the isolation of the locations. EDF IES is a vertically integrated utility, in charge of the supply-demand balance, transmission, distribution and supply activities. The rollout of smart metering will then provide benefits to IES across the different parts of its activity. In mid-2013, a smart meter pilot was launched on Martinique Island. The aim of this pilot was to evaluate, across IES territories, the following: • The technical feasibility of a smart meters rollout: quality of communication, the ability of the equipment to withstand the tropical environment and operating procedures • costs and benefits of a massive rollout • the level of customers and local authority interest and • the impact on professional skills and work forces training needs At the end of the test, EDF IES aims at evaluating the elements and taking a decision on the feasibility of rolling out smart meters in its territories. The field test includes the rollout of 1,000 smart meters for small customers (domestic and commercial, with subscripted maximum power below 36 kVA) and operational for a period of 18 to 24 months. Customers have been chosen: • to statistically represent the average energy consumption of the Martinique population • to cover multiple urban and rural conditions and environments • to provide as much as possible a wide geographical spread without impacting too much on rollout costs, and in order to enable good technical operation of the system For customers with internet access, a web portal is available giving information on individual consumption. Moreover, 100 home displays have also been distributed for testing purposes. As mentioned earlier, EDF IES is using the same equipment (meters and concentrators) as ERDF and is hosted by Electricité Réseaux Distribution France in mainland France for the supervision of the metering system and the data collection for efficiency, economy and industrial policy reasons. As shown in the figure below, a specific portal (“frontal” on the figure) has been developed to collect data from the meters mainly for: • Eclide (EDF IES CRM application), • the customer portal, • mobile application for rollout and maintenance purposes. A long period of preparation has been needed before the rollout of smart meters to: • Interface the information system of Graphic courtesy of ERDF Briefly put: Smart meter installation in small territories can have different outcomes and challenges to the expected results in larger territories. EDF is examining these on some of their overseas territories, to better understand the acceptance of smart metering across island communities. 47