Distributie Energie Electrică Romania (DEER), the largest national operator of electricity distribution networks, is intensifying its strategic directions to streamline the activity of meter reading, two of the objectives being to reduce the number of unread meters, as well as non-compliance situations of the index, in the Distribution-Consumer-Supplier Operator circuit, which is reflected in the isolated cases of erroneous invoices.
Thus, Distributie Energie Electrică Romania has developed a communication channel through which consumers – where it was not possible to read the meter planned, after two visits by the operator’s representative – can send their meters’ index, accompanied by a photo of this index, in a easy and accessible way, directly online.
Approximately 50% of the DEER meters are installed inside the property of the final consumer, the reading of the meters being conditioned by the presence at the place of consumption of the final consumer. The reading action involves performing two visits, if the meter failed to read for the first time.
Out of the total of approximately 3.9 million consumers, there are tens of thousands of inactive (abandoned/deactivated) or sporadic presence (holiday homes, seasonal consumption places). The population dynamics (especially the work schedule) were changed due to the lifting of the restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, a percentage of approximately 10% of the readings not being able to be carried out, not even on the second visit, due to non-synchronization of the final consumer program with the staff’s reading the meters.
The online platform for consumer communication of the index may be used by the consumer up to twice in a row and cannot be considered a reason for the consumer not to allow the distribution operator’s access to the meter.