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🇵🇾 Paraguay /Economy & Trade

ANDE Projects Purchase of Up to One Million Smart Meters: How Much Investment is Needed?

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Paraguay's National Electricity Administration (ANDE) is studying the technical and budgetary feasibility of acquiring up to one million smart meters.
  • This move aims to address user complaints about alleged overbilling, stemming from issues with manual meter readings and estimated consumption, particularly during summer.
  • Currently, only about 50,000 of ANDE's 1.8 million meters are remotely read, with a pilot program for smart meters underway in a specific Asunción neighborhood.

As ABC Color reports, Paraguay's National Electricity Administration (ANDE) is contemplating a significant technological shift: the potential acquisition of up to one million smart meters. This initiative comes in response to a wave of user complaints regarding alleged overbilling, a problem that has periodically plagued the state-owned utility.

The quantity, schedule, and contracting method will depend on the results of the analysis and the corresponding institutional approvals.

· Ing. Hugo RolónCommercial manager of ANDE, explaining the conditional nature of the smart meter acquisition plan.

The core issue appears to stem from the limitations of the current system, which relies heavily on manual meter readings. Inconsistent or missed readings, particularly during peak demand periods like summer, have led to inaccurate billing. While ANDE officials have cited increased summer energy demand as a factor, they have also acknowledged instances where readings were not taken, resulting in artificially low bills followed by significant "bill shocks" later.

The proposed migration to smart meters, utilizing Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), promises remote, automated readings, thereby eliminating human error and providing more accurate, real-time consumption data. This would not only address current user grievances but also enhance ANDE's operational efficiency. The plan involves a gradual incorporation, contingent on technical and budgetary analyses, with an initial focus on evaluating a pilot program already in place.

In the months of summer, energy demand per household invariably increases.

· Ing. Félix SosaPresident of ANDE, explaining one of the reasons for increased electricity bills during summer.

From a Paraguayan perspective, this potential investment is crucial. It reflects a commitment to modernizing essential infrastructure and improving public services. Addressing the billing concerns directly is vital for maintaining public trust in ANDE, a critical entity for the nation's development. The move towards smart meters signifies a proactive approach to resolving systemic issues and ensuring fairer, more transparent energy distribution for all citizens.

We detected cases where officials did not perform the on-site reading of the meters last March.

· Ever ColmánHead of the Commercial Division of ANDE, admitting to missed meter readings that led to billing issues.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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