Sudstroum introduces Smarty, your new smart electricity meter.

BETTER CONTROL OVER YOUR CONSUMPTION

You can access more information on your consumption or production and therefore make energy savings by changing your habits.

GREATER COMFORT

Meter readings and routine servicing are done remotely, so you will no longer be disturbed.

ACCESS TO MORE FLEXIBLE OFFERS

In future, your energy provider will be able to issue bills based on your actual consumption, rather than working on estimates, and offer you new services.

What is Smarty? Watch our tutorial!

One common system for the entire country

To facilitate the development of renewable energies, pave the way for new sectors such as electro-mobility and the decentralised storage of energy, as well as respond to new consumer demands and habits, Sudstroum is making extensive investments in its electricity networks. Your new smart meter plays an important role in this energy transition.

In response to a European directive transposed into Luxembourg law, all the electricity meters in the country must be changed regardless of the company that manages the networks.

The new smart meters will be installed at our customers’ properties from 1 July 2016. Sudstroum will fit a total of 19,000 meters in the city of Esch-sur-Alzette by 2020.

The seven operators that manage the electricity and gas distribution networks (Creos, Sudgaz, Sudstroum, Electris, Ville de Diekirch, Ville d’Ettelbruck and Ville de Dudelange) have formed an economic interest group in order to coordinate this major task and operate the centralised shared system. This economic interest group is called Luxmetering. It is responsible for transferring all the consumption and/or production data in encrypted form before it is redistributed to the network operators and then onto the different energy suppliers.

The law also permits the smart meter reading system to accept other media such as water and heat.

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The data transmission system is operated via power line carriers

How is my electricity data transferred?

  • The smart electricity meter measures the consumption and/or production of electricity for each home.
  • This meter reading data is then transmitted to the central system managed by Luxmetering, via the cables of the existing electricity network, and finally forwarded to your energy supplier. This process is referred to as communication via power line carriers.
  PCL Sudstroum simple

What is communication via power line carriers?

Communication via power line carriers is a means of transmitting consumption data to the energy supplier using the existing infrastructure of the electricity network.

The meter reading data collected by the smart meters in each property is initially transmitted along the existing electricity network cables to the closest transformer and distribution station where a concentrator (a type of data processing unit) is installed.

Each concentrator combines the data for a group of meters and transmits the data, either via fibre optics or via 2G/4G, to the central system operated by Luxmetering and finally to your energy supplier.

  PLC Sudstroum

Managing the smart meter's data

To make sure the consumption data is secure during the transfer, it will be encrypted before being sent to the central system managed by Luxmetering. The algorithms we use meet the highest standards applicable to secure communications. Meter readings are recorded by Sudstroum multiple times per day and transferred to your energy supplier. Your privacy is guaranteed, as the use of the data is only permitted for clearly defined purposes. The National Commission for Data Protection (CNPD) has been informed in advance of the data protection measures and the choice of technology used as part of this national project.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

A smart meter incorporates advanced technologies that enable the precise measurement and recording of your energy consumption and/or production (electricity, district heating) or water and transmits this meter reading data over long distances via the existing electricity network.

Smart meters are required for better control of the flow of electricity whilst taking production and consumption on low- and medium-voltage networks into account. In particular, smart meters will improve management of decentralised generation and electromobility, technologies that are consistently expanding and play a significant role in the move towards alternate energy sources.

Yes. All the electricity meters in the country will be changed. For Sudstroum this means more than 19,000 electricity meters.

The new smart electricity meters will be installed at our customers’ properties from 1 July 2016. The old meters will gradually be replaced. This major task will continue through to 2020. All our customers will be informed in writing one month prior to the installation of the new meter. The meters will be replaced by geographic zone. Sudstroum provides information about this on its website.

To be able to replace the 19,000 electricity meters by 2020, up to 500 meters need to be replaced each month.

To find out when you will receive your new electricity meter, see the deployment map on our website.

Better control over your consumption :

You can access more information on your consumption or production and therefore make energy savings by changing your habits

Greater comfort :

Meter readings and routine servicing are done remotely,so you will no longer be disturbed.

Access to more flexible offers :

In future, your energy provider will be able to issue bills based on your actual consumption, rather than working on estimates, and offer you new services.

No. The power of your connection will not change. The protection devices and other electrical installations set up downstream your meter will not change either.

The replacement and installation of the new meter are free of charge (subject to the technical conformity of your installation). This installation is incorporated in the costs for managing the network in the same way as all the work we carry out to modernise our infrastructures. The meter is property of the distribution system operator (DSO), who will continue to bill customers a (rental) fee for the meter. The fee charged by the DSO will not increase from its current level.

Due to the high number of electricity meters that need to be changed, Sudstroum has commissioned a partner to install the smart meters.

The installation partner commissioned by Sudstroum to replace your meter will have an ID badge that they will present to you upon request.

If you are not there when the installer passes, they will leave a message in your letter box informing you of their visit. All you need to do is contact the installer by telephone or e-mail and arrange a date and time that is convenient to you.

It takes about 15 minutes on average to change an electricity meter.

In most instances, when a smart electricity meter is installed, the electricity supply is cut off briefly.

No. Your provider will be notified of the meter upgrade by Sudstroum automatically

Sudstroum is legally obliged to install a smart meter on the premises of all customers connected to its network. The meter is Sudstroum’s property, and Sudstroum has to ensure its proper functioning and maintenance. The new meters have to be installed to guarantee the safety and reliability of the electricity network in the future, especially given the increase in decentralised production installations.

Because the meter is already the distribution system operator’s property, in accordance with Art. 29(6) of the Electricity Act and Art. 35(6) of the Gas Act, the operator is “entitled to access the measurement points, connection points and connection equipment of the generators and customers connected to the network which it manages; this so that it may check meter readings and carry out all repairs, undertake fault clearance and perform checks of the connections and meters.” Except in emergencies, distribution system operators will contact the customer in advance and make an appointment with the customer to access the meter.

Yes. Smart meters enable your energy consumption and/or production to be read remotely without the need for a technician to visit your property.

Sudstroum is the network operator and also the owner of the meter. Therefore, the company can read the meter, make updates to the software, collect meter reading data and events, and can also control the two relays that are integrated into the electricity meter. Only those devices connected to the built-in relays (e.g. a hot-water tank) can be controlled remotely.

The main technology used to transfer data is transmission via the electricity network (power line carriers). The meters can communicate with the network manager via this network and vice versa – this is known as bi-directional communication. GPRS is used as an alternative solution for sites that are further away. In any case, a single signal is sent only once every 15 minutes.

No. To ensure your consumption data is secure during transfer, it will be encrypted before being sent to the central system managed by Luxmetering. The algorithms we use meet the highest standards applicable to secure communications. Meter readings are recorded by Sudstroum multiple times per day and transferred to your energy supplier on a daily basis. Your privacy is guaranteed, as the use of the data is only permitted for clearly defined purposes. The National Commission for Data Protection (CNPD) was informed about the data protection measures to be taken and about the choice of technology used as part of this national project.

The meter reading can be read off in the same way as on a standard meter. In future, you will also be able to connect an external display or a smart home system to display and process your data in real time.

Your consumption data will be collected several times a day through the national central system managed by Luxmetering GIE, an economic interest group formed by the electricity and gas networks operators. Your data is transmitted to your energy supplier daily. May we remind you that the network operator builds and runs electricity network and that the supplier buys and resells energy and associated services. Your network operator, electricity and, where applicable, a service provider designated by you will all have access to your data. The legal framework defines exactly what purposes this data may be processed for and ensures that your data is not passed on to third parties without consent. The National Commission for Data Protection (CNPD) has been liaising with the network operators throughout the project for the generalised installation of smart meters in Luxembourg.

The current reading of the meter (“Index” or “Zählerstand”) is sent to the central system at 15-minute intervals in the case of electricity meters. There it is recorded and stored for a period of up to 15 years. Information about incidents relating to the quality of energy supply, e.g. power cuts, power surges and technical faults with the meter, is sent to the central system and used by Luxmetering and the network operators for operational purposes.

Yes. Sudstroum has chosen to work with one manufacturer of electricity meters. The different meters all meet the same technological standards.

The law stipulates that the national infrastructure for smart metering must be the same across the country. For this reason, grid operators are obligated to exchange all of the ‘traditional’ electricity meters in Luxembourg with ‘smart’ meters by 2020.

  1. DisplayThis screen displays the meter readings as well as technical information and notifications.
  2. Green buttonThis button is used to navigate through the menu and to reactivate the meter should the permitted power levels be exceeded.
  3. Control lightThis indicator light goes on if you need to press the green button to reactivate the meter.
  4. Control lightsThese indicator lights flash on or off in line with your energy consumption or production.
  5. Maintenance reader(for Sudstroum personnel only)
  6. RJ12 connectionThis connection can be used to plug in an external display or smart home system to display or process your data in real time.

 

  • First of all, check your circuit breaker. This can be found next to the electricity panel. If the circuit breaker is in position 0, reset it to position 1.
  • If the display li-number-1 don your meter reads “Appuyer bouton pour reconnecter”(“Press the display button to reconnect”) and the control light li-number-3 is on, please press the green button li-number-2 for 5 seconds to reactivate the meter.
  • If the display li-number-1 on your meter reads “Déconnecté” (“Disconnected”), please contact your energy provider.
  • If the power supply does not return, please call Sudstroum on 26 783 787 686.

 

Meters are not radio transmitters. Nevertheless, like all electrical devices, they create a magnetic field in their immediate vicinity. In practice, the specific exposure associated with the use of power-line communication (PLC) appears to be very low and the transmissions are brief: less than a minute for the collection of consumption data and a few seconds for transmission of an event. Measurements made by manufacturers and the French National Frequency Agency (ANFR) on French Linky-type PLC meters (the meters used in Luxembourg are based on a platform very similar to that of Linky) showed a level of radiation similar to conventional meters. The ANFR has measured the levels of the electromagnetic radiation of certain everyday devices (TVs, lamps and computer chargers) and concluded that the PLC meters emit slightly less electromagnetism than a baby alarm when it is plugged in, a cordless drill, a refrigerator or a toaster. CREO01-6067_Smarty_Illustration_Sante_V2

The reliability of smart meters is similar to that of conventional electronic meters. They have a service life of about 20 years. The metering technology is no different to that of conventional meters. A communication module has simply been added. The PLC-G3 generation of meters contains extremely advanced technology that has already proved its worth in other countries, including France, Austria and Japan.

The old meters will have a second life after they have been replaced: they will be sold abroad for reuse as second-hand meters or recycled to recover their raw materials.

Yes. After your meter has been installed, we would encourage you to let us know how satisfied you are with the work carried out to install your meter. A satisfaction survey is available on our website. Sudstroum will contact a sample of customers at regular intervals to ensure that everything has been done correctly. In addition, Sudstroum may send teams directly to its customers to check the quality of the work undertaken by its partner teams.

Luxmetering’s database does not contain information about customers. All this information is stored securely at high-security data centres on servers belonging to Luxmetering or with the network operators and suppliers. It never leaves the country. Data transfer is encrypted systematically from the meter to the supplier. The Internet is never used in any part of this communication chain.

The electricity meter records just one reading every 15 minutes. The granularity (every 15 minutes) of the overall consumption data of the customer equipment can be used neither to identify the customer’s individual equipment nor to deduce the occupants’ exact behaviour.

If you have a question about your new smart meter, contact our Infoline on 26 783 787 686 from Monday to Friday, 7.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or send an e-mail to backoffice@sudstroum.lu.

OBIS Code Value Unit
1.8.0 Current meter read of the consumed active energy kWh
2.8.0 Current meter read of the produced active energy kWh
3.8.0 Current meter read of the consumed reactive energy kvarh
4.8.0 Current meter read of the produced reactive energy kvarh
1.7.0 Current consumed active power kW
2.7.0 Current produced active power kW
3.7.0 Current consumed reactive power kvar
4.7.0 Current produced reactive power kvar
9.7.0 Current consumed apparent power kVA
10.7.0 Current produced apparent power kVA

OBIS Code Value Unit
– Display test –
1.8.0 Current meter read of the consumed active energy kWh
2.8.0 Current meter read of the produced active energy kWh
3.8.0 Current meter read of the consumed reactive energy kvarh
4.8.0 Current meter read of the produced reactive energy kvarh
32.7.0 Current voltage of phase L1 V
52.7.0 Current voltage of phase L2 V
72.7.0 Current voltage of phase L3 V
31.7.0 Present current of phase I1 A
51.7.0 Present current of phase I2 A
71.7.0 Present current of phase I3 A
1.7.0 Current consumed active power kW
2.7.0 Current produced active power kW
3.7.0 Current consumed reactive power kvar
4.7.0 Current produced reactive power kvar
9.7.0 Current consumed apparent power kVA
10.7.0 Current produced apparent power kVA
17.0.0 Maximum allowed power (Consumption) VA
31.4.0 Maximum allowed current (+/-) A
0.2.0 Active firmware version –
0.2.8 Signature of active firmware version –
Questions? Contact us!
Your opinion is important to us!

Your new smart meter has just been fitted at your property.

In order that we can continue to improve the quality of our customer service, Sudstroum kindly asks that you complete this satisfaction questionnaire regarding the installation of your new smart meter. This questionnaire will take just a few minutes to complete and will enable us to take your feedback into account.

All the responses will be treated confidentially and anonymously.