Doha: Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has installed over 300,000 smart meters, achieving about 60 percent of its target, said an official.
“The smart meters project was launched by Kahramaa in 2021, targeted to install 600,000 smart meters replacing the traditional meters,” said Maryam Nasser Al Nama from Kahramaa’s Information Technology Department.
Speaking to The Peninsula at Kahramaa pavilion at Gulf Engineering Forum in Doha recently, Al Nama said smart meters project achieved a quantum leap in replacing traditional meters with smart meters in Qatar.
“So far, we have completed 60 percent of the target of installing smart meters in the country. By the end of this year (2023) remaining meters will be installed,” said Al Nama. She said that over 300,000 smart meters have been installed out of a target of 600,000 smart meters set by Kahramaa.
Speaking about the benefits of smart meters, she said it restores power remotely taking hardly five minutes after bill payment. It is also taking the accuracy rate of billing and meter reading to 97 percent.
“Smart meters also helped significantly in speeding up services provided by Kahramaa such as shifting homes, transferring ownership and settlement of customers among others,” said Al Nama.
She said smart meter is also playing key role in sustainability by rationalising electricity consumption and providing smart infrastructures required for circular economy as per the Qatar National Vision 2030.
The smart meters project is considered one of the strategic projects at the national level and a role model at the regional level. The smart meters project of Kahramaa has secured first position in the Gulf Engineering Excellence and Creativity Award.
The smart meter, one of the most prominent projects by Kahramaa for digital transformation, targets to install advanced digital meters to read energy consumption more accurately and effectively and transmit the required information safely and quickly.
The smart meters provide real-time readings of power consumption, a better understanding of consumption pattern and enhancing ability of customers to make rationalisation decisions. The smart meters also enable customers to monitor their consumption which supports the objectives of the National Program for Conservation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed).
The installation of mart meters is part of a major project of Kahramaa to enhance its services to customers. Kahramaa said that customers are given top priority in its strategic plans to provide them will all services of international standards.
