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NETWORK / 10 / SEPTEMBER 2016 SMART METERING Early advantage Alongside gearing up for the challenges of installation, DNOs must also act now to gain early advantage from the deluge of data that will follow. Mike Wilks, vice-president, utilities, Capgemini, says there are four key things DNOs need to be doing now: ❶ Social strategy, and other aspects of customer data and relationship management. DNOs should know the preferred communication channels of individuals in order to be able to implement the most intelligent and responsive customer relationship management techniques. ❷ Data handling, processing, compliance and security. The step-change in the volume of DNO interactions with the outside world will open up lots of security challenges. ❸ Asset management with associated maintenance work management, including network planning and investment planning. In the longer term, using smart metering data will mean far more efficient investments, with strategic targeting of stressed assets through industry-level co-ordination. ❹ Aligning the operating model to exploit the extra data strategically. To realise the opportunities of smart metering, there is a need to make vital changes to the operating model, culture, processes and ways of working in the business, as well as the systems. First, processes need to be adapted to work with data from both traditional and smart meter dominated areas of the network. Second, key organisational capabilities like schedule and dispatch or grid control, should be enhanced to take advantage of greater network visibility. Lastly, as smart meter coverage increases towards saturation point in some areas, the data can be used alongside smart grid technologies and the Internet of Things to move towards automated asset control. increased rate. An equal percentage said they don't know if their resources will be sufficient at this point. Data on the actual rate of installation failure is so far only available for London, but segmentation of the city by postcode area gives some hint of the likely level of problem solving network operators will find themselves undertaking as the rollout progresses. Electralink, the data transfer service for the energy industry, expects to perform further analysis of the actual experienced causes of failure in the coming months. As the rate of installation starts to ramp up to the required level to meet the deadline, more than doubling by 2018 from the current rate, communication between suppliers and network operators will become ever more important. Although in the Utility Week-WNS report it was again network operators most concerned about communication, it was supplier EDF that voiced worries at the start of this year about a lack of visibility of GDNs' preparations. Ofgem is also pushing for suppliers to put aside competition and share elements of best practise for the benefit of the whole programme. This particularly applies to sharing techniques for completing difficult installations. Suppliers may find this of key benefit when they come to mop of the expected "tail-end" of difficult installations at the end of the programme. Looking ahead Because the rollout is not by geographical location, it may be some time, even aŒer the rollout ramps up, before network operators start to receive the data that is so pivotal in the transition to smart grids. Data on the installation density in different areas is expected to start becoming available in the coming months, so the situation can be monitored. But while the key moment of go- live is waited for, and in its wake, network operators need to ensure that the correct systems and processes are in place so they can take maximum advantage of that data when it does start flooding in. N Source: Electralink Smart meter installation failure rates in London by postcode area A See next month's issue of Network for further analysis on the smart meter rollout so far. Install failure rate 0.16% 50.00%