On July 1, 2020, the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated April 18, 2020 No. 554 "On amendments to some acts of the Government of the Russian Federation on the improvement of the organization of electricity metering" came into force. The document regulates the phased replacement of old metering devices in Russian homes with new ones.

The purchase and replacement of meters are free of charge for the consumer. According to the law, these costs are borne by energy companies. Until January 1, 2022, companies can choose whether it will be a “simple” metering device or a “smart” meter. From January 1, 2022, only smart metering devices are subject to installation. "Smart" meters independently carry out remote transmission of readings and control power consumption.

The consumer is also freed from the need to independently organize the calibration of the device and control the calibration interval. The introduction of smart metering systems for electricity is one of the areas of work of Rosseti Volga (a brand of IDGC of Volga, PJSC). New meters exclude the possibility of unaccounted consumption of electrical energy, unauthorized access to metering circuits, "twisting" of readings – that is, they counteract energy theft and reduce commercial losses of electricity.

Last year alone, within the framework of the Program for the Development of Smart Metering of Electricity, the Volga power engineers installed about 28.5 thousand "smart" meters, which made it possible to reduce commercial losses and increase the effective supply of electricity by more than 59 million kWh.

Since the beginning of 2020, specialists from Rosseti Volga have already installed about 10.8 thousand smart metering devices both at the expense of the investment program and within the framework of energy service contracts. This made it possible to reduce commercial losses by 48.3 million kWh in six months.

“In fact, the Rosseti Volga company has been working for several years in the framework of the widespread implementation of an intelligent electricity metering system, which is now enshrined in changes in legislation. These changes contribute to the digital transformation of the power grid complex and the formation of an efficient, transparent, high-tech system of consumption and metering of electricity”, said Vyacheslav Kuliev, Deputy General Director for Sales and Development of Services of Rosseti Volga.