Benefits for consumers in Moldova: smart meters' data to be read remotely, processed automatically

The data from smart meters installed at consumers of Moldova will be able to be read remotely and processed automatically. This will be possible once the meters are connected to a digital infrastructure that will automatically collect consumption data, verify it and make it available to operators for network monitoring, consumption analysis and invoicing.

This opportunity is provided thanks to the HES (Head-End System) and MDMS (Meter Data Management System) platforms purchased with funds provided by the Government of Italy, through UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Moldova. The platforms will be integrated into the present infrastructure and will become fully operational within 12 months.

Carolina Novac, State Secretary at the Energy Ministry, emphasized that the new system would allow operators to manage networks more efficiently, identify incidents more quickly, and provide better services to consumers, who will be able to benefit from differential tariffs.

Ambassador of Italy to Moldova Giuseppe Maria Perricone said that the HES and MDMS platforms would streamline and enhance the transparency of the processes for transmitting, collecting, validating and storing consumption data, to the benefit of public authorities, electricity suppliers, and consumers.

Smart meters measure electricity consumption and transmit the information via data concentrators and communication networks. The HES platform will retrieve this information directly from the meters, schedule readings and monitor the operation of the devices. The platform will also enable the remote configuration of meters, without the need for technical teams to travel to the field. Communication is bidirectional: in addition to data collection, operators will be able to send operational commands to smart meters. Through HES, alerts can also be received regarding power outages, malfunctions or any unauthorized interventions on the meters.

The collected data will then be transmitted to the MDMS platform, where it will be checked, processed and stored, and then used for network operation, consumption analysis and invoicing. If a reading is missing or incorrect, the system will be able to identify the issue and apply the necessary rules to estimate or correct the information. All changes will be recorded, so that the data trail can be tracked.

Together, the HES and MDMS platforms will ensure the automatic flow of data from the meter installed at the consumer to the systems of distribution operators and electricity suppliers.

So far, with the support of the Government of Italy and UNDP, 44,520 smart meters have been installed for consumers in the North and Center-South distribution areas, along with the related equipment needed for their operation, including data concentrators and communication modules. The pilot project is being implemented in partnership with the Energy Ministry.

The expansion of smart metering infrastructure will continue and by the end of 2027, it is estimated that the number of devices installed in Moldova will exceed 100,000. The operationalization of the HES and MDMS platforms will create the digital foundation needed to develop smart metering nationally.