Timo Koskinen, Managing Director of Tornion Energia, says: "With AIM, Tornion Energia can monitor the load in its distribution network almost in real-time. So we will know about possible faults before they happen. An invoice based on actual consumption means that customers will be able, for the first time, to monitor their individual usage habits."
Finland is expected to move towards full automation of its meters within the next few years – about half the country’s three million meters will be read remotely by 2010. Close to one million customers either already have the meters read remotely, or are waiting for an AMR meter to be installed.
Tornion Energia will install the new meters in a gradual rollout process whereby the old devices will be replaced as they come to the end of their working life. Landis+Gyr Enermet will be responsible for delivering the metering and communication devices, as well as providing extensive user support and training. The metering data management system is based on a combination of a low voltage PLC network and GPRS communication that will guarantee the best possible coverage and cost-efficiency.