The Oman Authority of Public Services Regulation has launched a national smart meter programme which seeks to install an estimated 1.2 million smart meters covering all electricity consumers by 2025.
The initiative is part of the Oman government digital transformation drive.
The benefits of the smart meter programme, is that first there will no longer be a need for physical meter reading. In addition, remote reading will decrease the errors in bills and create more efficiency in the collection system.
As of the end of 2021, around 145,000 smart meters were installed across the Sultanate of Oman, according to the regulator. Included thus far in the coverage have been large customers, as well as new customers. As for existing customers, their old meters will progressively be replaced over the ensuing three years through to 2025, it said.
Responsibility for the installation of smart meters across their respective license areas is in the hands of the country’s five electricity distribution and supply companies – Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC), Mazoon Electricity Company, Majan Electricity Company, Rural Areas Electricity Company (Tanweer) and Dhofar Integrated Services Company (DISC) which are all subsidiaries of Nama Group.
NAMA group stated that so far smart meters installed helped measure half of all electricity consumed in 2021. The regulator has also installed prepaid meters, 126,000 of them. Both smart and prepaid meters have helped to boost efficiency.
“The year 2021 witnessed higher reliance on the technologies of billing & payment activities, which has made it easier for customers to receive and pay their bills electronically. In 2021, more than 88 per cent of all bills were sent to the customers by email or by SMS, which represents a more than 18 per cent increase from 2020,” said the state-owned holding group of power, water and wastewater service providers.
“In addition, the improvement of collection channels and electronic communication with customers combined with the prevailing movement restriction, lead customers to increase their utilisation of e-payment channels. As a result, more than 63 per cent of all collected payments from customers by the distribution companies happened via electronic channels like websites, mobile, payment machines, and banks,” it further added.
