Smart grids, data technology and innovation

Low voltage grid - the smart meter

Availability of smart meter data

Grid managers are required to ensure that they answer 97% of all valid requests relating to smart meters with a meter reading. Stedin achieved a score of 96.8%. Performance declined during part of the year, because of a number of large failures in our telecommunications network and the CTS portal. Multiple requests can be made in relation to a single faulty meter. This can create the impression that multiple meters are faulty. After adjusting for these repeat requests, Stedin’s score is 98.5% instead of 96.8%. In 2018, Stedin’s score was only 94%.

Huge increase in demand for energy data

There was huge increase in energy prices in 2022. This caused a big increase in customers’ need for energy data. Sector-wide, the use of remote data read-outs via smart meters increased by 40% compared with 2021. Compared with 2020, the increase was 160%. Stedin receives around 185 million data requests per month. This increase has not affected our continued ability to provide market parties with smart meter data in a secure, reliable and efficient manner. The parties requesting meter readings are energy suppliers who do so at the request of customers, but also independent service providers, such as energy apps (also at the request of customers). This shows that customers want to have more control over their energy bills. Market parties need this data to accumulate information so that they can make this available to the customer (for example, via the energy supplier’s app) but also for processes.

Since October 2020, grid managers are legally obliged to compile a register for a period of 24 months with the daily readings of all smart meters (meters where remote read-out has been switched off at the request of the customer as excluded). This data is available to the customer’s supplier. At Stedin, the average monthly fill rate for this register is 99.5%. That means that for all meters for which Stedin has to have a daily reading available, this is successful in 99.5% of cases.

High requirements are set for the privacy and security of the smart meter infrastructure. An in-depth external audit is performed at all grid managers once every two years. This assesses whether the quality criteria for privacy and security are met.

Connectivity for reading out smart meters

There were a considerable number of developments in relation to connectivity in 2022. For example, a collective telecommunications strategy was developed in cooperation with Enexis and Alliander entitled ‘Samen, Flexibel, Nu’ (‘Together, Flexible, Now’). The first initiative under this strategy is a collective tender for a SIM card (sector eSIM) with an associated management platform (RSP platform). This solution will give us a better negotiating position towards operators for mobile data communication. It will put an end to operator lock-in, enabling us to change the SIM without having to physically go to the meter. This has the advantage that we will be able to easily use another operator’s network. In addition, this enables us to extend the useful life of the meter.

In 2022, Stedin used three different wireless network technologies for smart meters: GPRS, CDMA and LTE-M. We no longer use GPRS, and we use CDMA only to a limited extent for new meters due to the phase-out of these technologies. LTE-M is thus the leading network technology for the years to come. In addition to the LTE-M meter, which functions on the frequencies of the commercial operators, we are working on an LTE-M meter that also works on the 450 MHz frequency. This is known as the multiband meter.

We will be installing this meter from mid-2023. Stedin is thus prepared for a possible transition to a private LTE-M network on the 450 MHz frequency. Besides this development, Stedin is participating with other grid managers in the Netherlands in a collective initiative for the next generation meter, known as the Next Gen meter.    

Utility Connect currently holds the licence for the 450 MHz spectrum. Stedin, Alliander and Westland Infra purchase services from Utility Connect for the connection of smart meters with CDMA technology. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy is planning to split the 450 MHz frequency band into two parts (lots A and B). The final extension decision for lot A was published by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy in the Official Gazette on 22 November 2022. This means that the licence will continue to be held by Utility Connect until mid-2035. This ensures the continuity of smart meters with CDMA technology. Consultation on the draft decision on the reissue of lot B began this summer, with input from Stedin, Alliander and Westland.

Medium-voltage grid

In 2022, we worked on the development and testing of third generation digitalisation in medium-voltage stations: DA3. This technology provides insight into the ‘power quality load’ and environmental conditions at the station enables public lighting to be more switched on an off more flexibly. DA3 is the successor of the Smart Grid Terminals (SGT), Intelligent Failure Detector (Intelligente storingsverklikker, ISV) and DA2.  These predecessors communicate using GPRS and this communication technology will end in 2029. The development of DA3 has been slower than expected because alignment with the suppliers and the testing of the new product required more time than was foreseen. The scarcity of components (chips) was also a factor. A second point of attention was implementation, in the form of installation, registration and proper management of the DA3. We will install approximately 600 DA3 in 2023, and this will be scaled up from 2024 onwards. This roll-out will gradually increase our insight into the grid, initially mainly with respect to locations where we expect problems.

Transmission grid

The key elements of transmission and distribution stations have been further equipped with smart equipment. Despite the difficulties because of the scarcity of materials and chips in the first two quarters of 2022, 25 transmission stations were equipped with a new grid automation system in 2022. This includes 1,332 Intelligent Electronic Devices that secure the essential components, remotely monitor the condition of the transmission station and remotely serve the substations. In Delft, for instance, we have made a start on replacing the old automation system at a large 150/25/10kV transmission station. We are carrying out these works while the transmission station is still in operation and delivering energy to the city of Delft. We expect to complete the replacement of this station in Delft in 2023. We have found an effective solution to the issue of materials and chip scarcity by contracting a second supplier.

Smart grids for new market roles

Market facilitation means the delivery of timely and correct data on our customers’ energy use to market parties and TenneT. TenneT uses this data for offsetting the imbalance market. Market parties use this data for invoicing for their services. The service was expanded in 2022 by the delivery of data to parties with new market roles, such as the Congestion Service Providers (CSPs). These service providers can help Stedin avoid congestion in the grid, as long as the grid is not yet reinforced. For example, by temporarily not feeding in all the energy produced by a solar park on a very sunny day, in exchange for a fee. The Market Facilitation Forum (MFF) has been set up to improve alignment with (new) market parties. This new platform mostly deals with making agreements on data exchange between market parties. The Agreements System Manager (Beheerder Afsprakenstelsel, BAS) is the new entity that implements these agreements in the central systems and supervises correct use of energy data.

The Energy Act and market roles

The formation of the MFF and the BAS prepares the sector for provisions in the new Energy Act, which is expected to take effect in mid-2024. Through Netbeheer Nederland, the grid managers are involved in the creation of an appropriate regulatory framework for all new market developments. In addition, the new Energy Act ensures uniformity (as it replaces both the Electricity Act and the Gas Act and thus puts an end to this split) and the implementation of various European regulations.

More insight into developments in the grid with grid quantification

We have transferred all our grid quantification data to a state-of-the-art data platform, making the new calculation methodology for planned grids available to the whole of Stedin. This also means we are better positioned to meet the increasing demand for grid analyses. We are currently developing new calculation schedules for all voltage levels in the Stedin grid, which will enable us to produce more and better analysis. As a result of automation, grid areas are becoming faster, are updated earlier and grid schedules are more complete. The basis for this was laid in 2022. Many business units can use this in 2023, and we will continue to expand this further. We will also prepare for the integration of grid quantification in the Zeeland region and for gas.

Stedin Telecom Network

Stedin has been phasing in the use of a new fibre-optic network (Stedin Telecom Network) across Stedin’s entire area since October 2018. This modern telecommunications network establishes a data link to all the automation systems in transmission stations and the larger medium-voltage distribution stations in our area. This improves our insight into the functioning of the energy grid and allows us to lay the foundation for even smarter management and control. The final connections were delivered in 2022, with over 1,000 km of new fibre-optic connections and new equipment taken into operation at 215 locations. Telecom has thus become Stedin’s third network.

Data governance

To comply with the requirements for ISO 27001 certification, we introduced a new data and document classification policy. Employees followed an e-learning programme and took a test. Classification is also enforced in the Microsoft 365 products by default. This enables enhanced protection of confidential information.

To ensure that data can be found more easily, a precondition for extracting more value from them, we are investing in recording metadata. This year, the most important strategic and legally required reports were incorporated in the metadata system, with the route travelled by data from source system to report being recorded. Definitions and responsibilities were also described. This supports the owners of the reports in safeguarding the quality of their reports.