The Ministry of Energy organized a meeting of the ministerial working group on smart metering, dedicated to monitoring the implementation of the Smart Metering Pilot Program. This program is being implemented by the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Moldova in collaboration with electricity distribution and supply operators, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Moldova and funded by the Government of Italy.

The event was attended by representatives of the UNDP, the National Agency for Energy Regulation, Premier Energy, Northern Electric Distribution Networks, and "FEE-Nord."

The State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Cristina Pereteatcu, thanked UNDP and the Government of Italy for their continuous support in implementing this large-scale project.

"The smart metering project is a major step toward creating smart grids, aiming to improve energy efficiency by reducing losses and optimizing consumption," Cristina Pereteatcu stated.

In her intervention, the Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP, Seher Ariner, reiterated UNDP's commitment to supporting the digitalization of the energy sector in the Republic of Moldova as part of a fair and sustainable transition.

During the meeting, UNDP presented the actions carried out so far within the program.

Also during the meeting, the Communication and Consumer Engagement Plan was presented, which includes awareness campaigns, personalized information, and initiatives aimed at positively influencing consumers' energy consumption behavior, based on data provided by smart meters.

In March, the third batch of 18,000 smart meters and related equipment for the development of advanced metering infrastructure was delivered.

Smart meters will offer benefits for both consumers and system operators. These modern devices measure and record energy consumption securely and without errors, eliminating the need for manual data reading by operators. They allow the recording of multiple pricing types, enabling the end user to benefit from differentiated pricing. They can also measure both the energy consumed and produced, providing a real benefit for prosumers.

Furthermore, the real-time data transmitted allows distribution operators to automatically identify the causes of technical faults in the network, reduce the duration of interventions, and monitor key technical parameters related to the quality of electricity.

The pilot program was launched by the Ministry of Energy in 2023, in partnership with the UNDP in Moldova. The initiative contributes to a resilient energy infrastructure, increased operational efficiency, reduced energy dependence, and alignment with European standards.