Greek Suppliers Association Questions Power Company's Dynamic Pricing Preparations

 

Greek Suppliers Association Questions Power Company's Dynamic Pricing Preparations, Citing 900,000 Smart Meters Lacking Remote Metering Capabilities

 

The Greek Suppliers Association (ΕΣΠΕΝ) has questioned whether the Greek distribution network operator (ΔΕΔΔΗΕ) can support the 15-minute metering data required for dynamic electricity pricing. The association pointed out that a two-month trial was conducted earlier this year, but ΔΕΔΔΗΕ suspended the trial in April and reverted to monthly data certification. Furthermore, its metering manual changed the data provision frequency from "monthly" to "periodically," which is considered insufficient for dynamic pricing requirements.

 

The association also highlighted significant problems with the 906,223 smart meters already installed. The first batch of approximately 250,000 meters has insufficient technical specifications, requiring additional equipment for some, and potentially replacement for others. Moreover, these meters lack basic functionalities for a central remote metering system, such as metering control and certification, data estimation and correction, data provision to other entities, and assistance in detecting non-technical losses. These functions are crucial for user information, net metering, dynamic billing, and preventing electricity theft.

 

To ensure the successful implementation of dynamic pricing, which is scheduled to begin in February, ΕΣΠΕΝ demands clarification on several issues: whether existing and planned meters nationwide meet technical specifications, specifically how many meters lack output pulses or H1 ports to provide near-real-time data, and whether newly installed meters will have these ports; whether the cost of adding equipment to compliant meters will be borne by users or recovered by the operator through the regulatory asset base; a timetable for meter or equipment installation should be published by geographical area and supply category to ensure equitable provision of near-real-time data; and the means for suppliers and consumers to access meter data should be clarified.