1.5M SMART METERS NEXT YEAR, SAYS TNB
Ministry sees more investment and job opportunities arising from switch
TENAGA Nasional Bhd is expected to spend RM1.2 billion up till next year to install new smart meters at households nationwide.
Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry deputy secretary-general Noor Afifah Abdul Razak said this would stimulate the country’s economy.
“It will open up investment opportunities as well as create up to 5,000 jobs,” she said at a briefing on the smart meter installation, here, yesterday.
Smart meters are electric-powered reading meters that allow daily electricity consumption to be recorded and converted into data that can be monitored by consumers.
Afifah said TNB had initiated the smart meter installation under pilot projects in Melaka and Putrajaya from 2014 to 2016. A total of 1,000 smart meters were installed.
She said the roll-out had since been extended to cover the entirety of Melaka, with 267,000 meters installed to date.
“Recognising that the smart meter installation is necessary in the face of disruptive technology, the government has agreed to approve the installation of 1.5 million smart meters,” said Afifah.
TNB has pledged to complete the installation by next year.
“I believe it will be able to fulfil the promise as it is one of the KPIs (key performance indicators) assigned to TNB,” said Afifah.
According to a report citing a study done by ABI Research, 780 million smart meters would be installed worldwide by next year.