New Smart Meter Production Line Opens

EghtesadOnline: A new smart meter production line started early in the week by a knowledge-based company in Tehran.

News ID: ۷۴۶۶۹۸

16 February 2019

The company Electronic Afzar Azma manufactures three-phase static smart power meters applicable to high-voltage systems, industrial automation and commercial facilities, Mehr News Agency reported.

A three-phase power meter is a high-accuracy electricity measurement device that scans electrical specifications from current and voltage to resistance, continuity and more. It also can monitor everything from wires and circuit breakers to electrical panels and power transformers.

The locally-produced smart meter is equipped with a fraud detection system, remote tariff programming and firmware update capabilities. The meter has a special  transmitter that relays electricity consumption data to the utility companies, the producer says on its website afzarazmaco.com, according to Financial Tribune.

During a visit to the production line, Homayoun Haeri, the deputy energy minister for electricity and energy affairs said, "The smart meters must be highly accurate and conform to global standards to help end the need for imports of such products."

Giving assurances about the quality of his product, the company's CEO Jamshid Bordbar said the meters have been checked and approved by the special evaluation council of the Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company (Tavanir)

Electronic Afzar Azma company was launched by a group of university graduates in energy studies and electronics in 1980. The company produces a variety of  electronic equipment and tools.

Utilities in developed and developing countries are promoting smart meters for economic and environmental reasons, namely to cut costs and reduce consumption.

Work in ongoing in Iran to replace old mechanical meters with advanced and more accurate gadgets, both for households and industries, since the National Smart Metering Program (Faham in Persian) started in 2016.

As per the project, which is a joint venture between Tavanir and South Korea Electric Power Corporation, the domestic power infrastructure is being upgraded. It has been reported that so far 450,000 old power meters have been replaced and another one million subscribers will get the new meters in the near future.