Iran's Energy Efficiency Organization (SABA) reached a preliminary agreement with China's Hexing Electrical Company to import smart electricity meters from China.
After holding talks with Hexing's Chairman and CEO Zhou Liangzhang, Seyyed Hossein Sajjadi said, "Converting the national electricity grid into a smart one is an urgent policy which is being implemented all over the country," Mehr News Agency reported.
Stressing on Iranian manufacturers' capability in designing and producing smart meters, the official noted that in mid-2015, Hexing started running an Advanced Metering Instrument Project for Iran with more than 200,000 metering points covering six provinces and seven utilities in the eastern part of the country (codenamed FAHAM).
The master station is located in Mashhad and the entire data of all 223,097 meters are collected in this master station.
"Foreign companies can participate in the project without being concerned about financial issues," he said, adding that a huge amount of time has been spent on the pilot plan and at this stage, smart meters are being produced, purchased and installed.
A smart meter records energy consumption more accurately, compared to conventional meters and sends data to energy supplier. In addition, smart meters often come with monitors, allowing consumers to better understand energy usage.
The advanced metering infrastructure would get rid of manual meter reading, which is prone to error. Smart meters have been used in Europe and the US since 2001.
The smart meter deployment program will ultimately cover more than 32.3 million electricity subscribers nationwide.
According to Sajjadi, plans have been made to attract investments in small-scale electricity projects, as they could be instrumental in times of crisis, help industrial parks function more expediently, reduce power wastage and boost the country's average energy production.
Pointing to electricity retail licenses issued for the private sector, he added that foreign enterprises can also invest in this domain. "We are all set to invest in small-scale power plants that operate at a capacity of less than 25 megawatts," Zhou said, noting that Hexing will be willing to transfer its knowhow to Iran in this regard.
Hexing is one of the leading manufacturers in smart metering products and systems. With more than 20 years of experience in metering industry, It brings together an experienced team of people, cutting-edge technologies and strategic partners to deliver world class products, systems and services to our worldwide utility clients.
Turbine Piece Indigenized
Iranian experts in Ramin thermal power plant in Ahvaz city in southwestern Khuzestan Province indigenized a device that controls oil production in turbine control system.
According to Davoud Mahmoudi, managing director of Ramin Power Plant Electricity Production Management Company, the device has not only helped save natural gas consumption in the power plant but also saved $3,960,478 worth of electricity.
Pointing to the three decades of electricity generation in Ramin power plant, Mahmoudi said, "The efficiency of this power plant is 38.5%. It consists of 6 units, the capacity of each stands at 350 megawatt. Although the power plant is 45 years old, the units are fully operational due to regular maintenance."
