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A PROJECT to install smart meters in properties across Bahrain is well underway and due to be completed within 18 months, it has emerged.
The Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) has so far installed 53,000 new power and water meters, said chief executive Shaikh Nawaf bin Ebrahim bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Plans for the project were first announced in July 2014 and the total cost is around BD9 million.
“We have installed 53,000 units and there will not be any new installations of mechanical meters, they will be replaced,” said Shaikh Nawaf.
“We have changed the Customer Relation Management (CRM) system to cater to that and it measures both electricity and water because there is no merit in having electricity smart meters and mechanical water meters – you would still have to send someone to measure it.
“It (the meter) needs to do both.
“Smart meters have many functions, one of the main ones is giving a momentary reading of your load, which means you don’t have to wait until the end of the month know how much your load is.
“The information will be available on the app and there will be no estimated readings, bills will be an actual amount – no more estimates.
“Users won’t have to worry about anyone bothering them, ringing their bells to get the readings, and there won’t be any estimates in bills so it’s all 100 per cent accurate.
“As for the EWA we will be able to send accurate bills, there will be no estimates and reverses or corrections in the bills so everyone wins.
“We have 70 to 90 meter readers, who will be up-skilled to take higher jobs.
“It will be an opportunity for staff to take higher jobs as supervisors for the meters, or redeployed somewhere else, because we want to be an agile organisation.”
Shaikh Nawaf made his comments during a meeting of the Bahrain’s Businessmen’s Association at the Capital Club.
The Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) has so far installed 53,000 new power and water meters, said chief executive Shaikh Nawaf bin Ebrahim bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Plans for the project were first announced in July 2014 and the total cost is around BD9 million.
“We have installed 53,000 units and there will not be any new installations of mechanical meters, they will be replaced,” said Shaikh Nawaf.
“We have changed the Customer Relation Management (CRM) system to cater to that and it measures both electricity and water because there is no merit in having electricity smart meters and mechanical water meters – you would still have to send someone to measure it.
“It (the meter) needs to do both.
“Smart meters have many functions, one of the main ones is giving a momentary reading of your load, which means you don’t have to wait until the end of the month know how much your load is.
“The information will be available on the app and there will be no estimated readings, bills will be an actual amount – no more estimates.
“Users won’t have to worry about anyone bothering them, ringing their bells to get the readings, and there won’t be any estimates in bills so it’s all 100 per cent accurate.
“As for the EWA we will be able to send accurate bills, there will be no estimates and reverses or corrections in the bills so everyone wins.
“We have 70 to 90 meter readers, who will be up-skilled to take higher jobs.
“It will be an opportunity for staff to take higher jobs as supervisors for the meters, or redeployed somewhere else, because we want to be an agile organisation.”
Shaikh Nawaf made his comments during a meeting of the Bahrain’s Businessmen’s Association at the Capital Club.
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