Avantha Group Company CG has been awarded a contract worth €3.4 million by Saudi Electricity Co. for ZIV three-phase smart meters.
SEC has taken an important step into the deployment of smart grids by defining a new functionality and a new data model for the performance of the smart meters. Interoperability, remote management and accuracy are the three key features of these smart meters that will be connected to current transformers and will communicate via modem (GPRS). The segment of small-commerce end users will be the first one to have the meters replaced by the new smart meters and successive contracts are expected to be awarded in the short run.
The Saudi electricity market is the largest in the Arab world, with a peak load of 53,864 MW in 2013. Demand for electricity is predicted to increase by an average rate of 7 - 8% for the foreseeable future, driven by a growing population, rising per capita consumption and an ever expanding industrial base.
SEC's strategy is focused on implementing the government's policy for the development of the electricity sector in the Kingdom, the primary objective being the provision of a safe, reliable and cost-efficient supply of electricity to end-users. CG’s endeavour has been to adapt ZIV smart meters to the particular functionalities requested by SEC and to collaborate in the definition of the optimal systems for the deployment of smart grid solutions in Saudi Arabia. As a technical leader in the region, SEC´s definition of a smart grid solution will be a determinant for development of new strategies in the area.
CG, after acquiring ZIV, has become a key provider of smart meters and an important player in the global smart grid market where we foresee strong growth, especially after a successful year with key wins from some of the most relevant and innovative European Utilities such as Iberbrola, Gas Natural Fenosa in Spain, EDP in Portugal and ERDF in France, totaling more than 60 Million Euros in this financial year. CG offers ZIV meters, data concentrator units (DCUs) and distribution automation solutions (DAS).
The company has built its competitive strategy in the development of smart grid solutions under the ZIV brand, based on its own technology, and a unique mix of technical know-how in protection, control, communications and metering technologies. Furthermore, CG has broadened the coverage of its smart grid portfolio with an ambitious catalog of Distribution Automation Solutions that range from LV supervision to MV automation, including Overhead MV Line Automation, Compact Secondary Substations and Micro-grid Management and Electric Vehicle Charging Systems.
