With the new resolution, utilities, meter manufacturers and metrology institutes will have up to 18 months to start replacing meters at customer request and offer a time-of-use tariff, which will be installed at no cost to the customer.
Additional features can also be added to the meter, with the cost differential charged to customers.
Elster Integrated Solutions vice president for Latin America Geraldo Guimaraes said that the firm fully supports Brazil’s transition to the smart grid, as it looks to improve the reliability and quality of energy supply and reduce operational costs and non-technical losses.
"With Elster’s portfolio based on globally-accepted protocols and open standards, we are well-positioned to meet the anticipated demand for interoperable systems that enable Latin America’s largest utilities to bring the benefits of AMI to consumers," Guimaraes added.
The technical solutions of Elster that meet these requirements were already deployed with several electricity utilities, including AES Eletropaulo, Coelce, Light and Neoenergia.
