Smart meters and advanced metering infrastructure

Optimizing smart grid enabling technology for enterprise-wide value.

The energy industry is increasingly focused on customer satisfaction, reliability, cost savings and energy efficiency. As a strategic response, many utilities are turning to Advanced Metering Infrastructure / Automated Meter Reading (AMI/AMR) technology. AMR / AMI can provide the foundation for improvements throughout the utility—from meter reading to customer service to engineering and system planning. Technology advancements and the availability of infrastructure features at lower prices create opportunities for expanded deployment, value-added services and potential new revenue streams.

Capturing full strategic and regulatory benefits of AMI/AMR
DNV helps utilities effectively deploy AMI/AMR to capture the technology’s full range of strategic and regulatory benefits.

We help clients better understand how planned or existing AMR/AMI technology can be an enabling asset—a platform for operational excellence, long-term sustainability, and financial growth. And we help clients select the right technology, communication infrastructure and system upgrades that successfully deliver operational improvements across the enterprise.

No one technology is best suited for all utilities. Several drivers must be considered to optimize technology deployment. And standardization is needed to get interoperable solutions from different vendors.

Unbiased, global perspectives on planning and integrating advanced metering
DNV is not aligned with AMR, meter or AMR-related software vendors. We provide an unbiased assessment of the system architecture and enabling technologies best suited for our clients and their vision and aligned with international standards, when required.

We work with clients in more than 70 countries. Our global perspective enables us to apply our established best practices guidance and innovative applications from around the world to local client engagements.

DNV areas of smart grid and advanced metering expertise and experience include:

• AMI / AMR
• T&D business and engineering operations
• power grid technologies
• information/data management
• information security
• business process redesign and change management
• proven business strategies.

DNV strategic metering / AMI solutions include:

• strategic planning – developing the most effective AMI/AMR business strategy for a utility’s unique circumstances
• cost / benefit analysis – determining the cost and benefit aspects, analyze the economical inputs and perform the calculation using the standard DNV cost/benefit model
• system design – specification of User Requirements (use cases) and preparation of RFP's and technical infrastructure design, assessment and selection and communication standards
• procurement management – tender procedures based on utility-specific, national or regional guidelines, vendor assessment and contracting
• deployment integration – determining most appropriate installation timeline to meet required return on investment and help develop AMR installation and system integration plans
• quality assurance – definition of QA organization and procedures, product (meter, DC, DCS, etc.) certification, conformance testing, interoperability testing, acceptance testing and the delivery of smart meter test tools
• performance enhancement – developing and implementing operational strategies that leverage the full value of a utility’s underlying infrastructure
• project and program management – coordination of procurement, testing, roll-out and maintenance.