Distributie Energie Electrică Romania powers the actions to streamline the meter reading

Due the complex activity of distribution operators, including meter reading, in the context of energy market liberalization and rising energy and gas prices, Distributie Energie Electrică Romania (DEER), the most important national operator of energy distribution networks intensifies its strategic directions to streamline the activity of meter reading, two of the objectives being to reduce the number of unread meters, as well as situations of non-compliance of the index, in the Distribution-Consumer-Supplier Operator circuit, which is reflected in isolated cases of erroneous invoices.

According to art.5 of the Framework Contract for the provision of electricity distribution service, approved by ANRE Order 90/2015 with the amendments brought by ANRE Order 25/2021, the distribution operator ensures the measurement of active electricity and, as the case may be, of reactive electricity , related to the places of consumption in its license area, in accordance with the regulations in force, as well as the reading of the index of the measurement group for settlement, related to a place of consumption. The reading of meters for household consumers and for small consumers assimilated to household consumers is done every 3 months. Access to meters for reading is conditioned by the following factors:

– Approximately 50% of the DEER fleet of meters is installed inside the property of the final consumer, the reading of the meters being conditioned by the presence of the final consumer at the place of consumption.

– The reading action involves two visits, if the meter failed to read the first time. – Out of the total of approximately 3.9 million consumers, there are several tens of thousands of inactive (abandoned / deactivated) or sporadic presence (holiday homes, seasonal consumption places).

– Population dynamics (especially working hours) have changed as a result of the lifting of restrictions on the COVID-19 pandemic, with around 10% of readings not being able to be taken, even on the second visit, due to non-synchronization of the final consumer program. that of the staff reading the meters. Given these factors that hinder the activity of meter reading, Electricity Distribution Romania has developed a communication channel through which consumers who were not able to read the meter planned, after two visits by the representative of the Distribution Operator, can submit their index of the meter, accompanied by a photo of this index, in an easy and accessible way, directly on the website of the Distribution Operator, respectively www.distributie-energie.ro.

The online platform for consumer communication of the index may be used by the consumer up to twice in a row and cannot be considered a reason for the consumer not to allow the distribution operator access to the meter. On the next date planned by the Distribution Operator in order to read the meter, the presence of the consumer is necessary to allow access to the meter (if it is located inside the consumer’s property), otherwise the distribution operator may notify the consumer and finally court, to disconnect the place of consumption.

Following the 2014 listing, the Electrica Group has become the largest investor in the modernization and refurbishment of electricity distribution networks, with a total of approximately 4.7 billion lei invested, carrying out, in recent years, the most important investment program at national. Replacing meters, accelerating digitization, and developing interactive channels for consumer interactions, along with integrated consumer communication and information actions, are some of the strategic objectives.