The Smart Utility Solution pioneered and initiated by CWG Plc, Nigeria’s largest system integration company can reduce electricity consumption by Nigerians as it is designed to automatically and remotely manage electricity consumption.
Disclosing the functionalities of the solution to Journalists at the CWG’s Corporate headquarters in Lagos, Daniel Shoban-Das, CWG’s– VP, Corporate Development, noted that apart from power reduction, the solution makes a remote prepayment, remotely connects and disconnects service, detects tampering and monitors voltage and current.
He added that as part of the efforts to manage customers’ complaints, which is hitherto one of the challenges of the power distribution companies, the Smart Utility Solution combined cutting-edge customer technologies such as smart Customer Interface Unit (CIU), as well as web and mobile applications.
“The key component of SUS is smart meters, which provide functions such as measuring customer electricity consumption on predetermined intervals, measuring voltage and current levels, monitoring the credit levels, and monitoring the on/off status of electricity service,” said Shoban-Das.
He explained that the solution communicates these readings to the head-end system for processing, analysis and re-communication back to customers for billing, and feedback for actionable insights.
According to him, the key component of the Smart Utility Solution includes Smart Meters, which are installed at the customer’s premises. This typically collects electricity consumption data in minute intervals.
Another component is software systems that manage the large volume of load data from the meter to the server.
Meter Data Management (MDM) system, a system used to store and process the meter data and integrate the meter data with the head-end system and billing system, and Customer Information System (CIS) are other components of the Smart Utility Solution.
In summary, the CWG Smart Utility Solution (SUS) is an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), which comprises of smart meters, communications networks, and data management systems that enable two-way communication between utilities (power companies, IPPs, facility managers) and customers.