Rețele Electrice România, the distribution operator part of the PPC Group, is introducing a new generation of meters this year, featuring a hybrid data transmission system, and maintains its position as the leader in smart metering in Romania.

The smart meter implementation programme run by Rețele Electrice România, the distribution operator part of the PPC Group, continues at a sustained pace this year. By the end of 2026, the company is set to reach a smart metering coverage rate of 67%, with a total of 2.164 million meters installed across the three regions served — Muntenia Sud, Banat, and Dobrogea.

In accordance with the plan approved by the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE), in 2026 the company will install approximately 178,000 new-generation smart meters for its customers, marking an important milestone in the digitalisation of the distribution network that began in 2015.

A Project in Full Swing, with Over 2 Million Meters Already Installed

Rețele Electrice România retains its status as market leader in Romania in terms of smart metering coverage for customers. The company has already surpassed the milestone of 2 million smart meters installed, and its objective for the end of this year is to reach a coverage rate of 67%, out of a total of approximately 3.2 million consumption points.

“We are the distribution operator with the highest number of smart meters installed — we have already exceeded 2 million and our goal is to reach 67% coverage by the end of this year. In addition, from this year we will adopt a new data transmission technology, which allows for greater accuracy in remote readings,” declared Mihai Pește, General Manager of Rețele Electrice România.

According to him, the new technological solution “directly contributes to increasing the resilience of the network and accelerates the digitalisation process — building, step by step, the infrastructure capable of supporting a future in which electricity consumption will grow significantly, as households and transport move away from fossil fuels in favour of electricity.”

Hybrid PLC + RF Technology, Introduced from 2026

Starting this year, the company is introducing a new generation of smart meters that use a hybrid data transmission system, combining two complementary technologies: Power Line Communication (PLC) — transmitting data through the existing electrical lines — and Radio Frequency (RF) — communication via radio waves.

The hybrid approach ensures more stable and redundant communication, eliminating the limitations of each technology when used individually. When difficulties arise in wired communication — due to electrical interference or long distances — the radio wave module automatically takes over transmission, guaranteeing the continuity of data flow to the concentrator.

Differentiated Coverage by Region: Ilfov and Giurgiu Reach 99%

By the end of 2026, the coverage rate of smart meters will reach different levels depending on the county and region, according to the company’s implementation schedule:

• Muntenia Sud: coverage will reach 67% in Bucharest, while the counties of Ilfov and Giurgiu will reach 99%.
• Banat: over 50% in Caraș-Severin, nearly 60% in Arad, over 65% in Hunedoara, and 69% in Timiș.
• Dobrogea: coverage will exceed 70% across all four counties, representing the highest coverage percentages of any electricity distribution zone in the entire country — Constanța 73.7%, Tulcea 70.8%, Ialomița 75.6%, and Călărași 79.2%.

Benefits for Customers and the Energy Market

The replacement of old-generation meters with smart ones is carried out at no additional cost to customers, in accordance with ANRE regulations. Distributors have a legal obligation to carry out the replacement, while users have an obligation to allow access to the operator’s representatives where the meter is located inside the dwelling or on private property.

For end customers, smart meters offer accurate billing based on actual consumption, transparency through access to detailed data, the ability to benefit from differentiated tariffs by time-of-use segments, faster services (reconnection, disconnection, remote reading), and real support in improving energy efficiency.

In 2025, the average monthly number of remote readings was approximately 2 million, contributing to a reduction in the distribution operator’s carbon footprint.

Dedicated Platform for Energy Suppliers

At the end of 2024, Rețele Electrice România implemented an IT platform that provides all electricity suppliers with daily access to consumption data from customers with smart meters across the 11 counties within its area of responsibility. The platform processes data from over 2 million smart meters in a primary format that is easy to process.

Suppliers thus benefit from constant access to updated measurement data and load curves, enabling more accurate forecasts regarding energy consumption or production, prompt responses to market fluctuations, and data-driven decisions with a high degree of granularity.

About Rețele Electrice România

Rețele Electrice România operates networks with a total length of approximately 136,000 kilometres across three major areas of the country — Muntenia (including Bucharest), Banat, and Dobrogea — covering one third of the local distribution market. The company is developing an investment programme to improve service quality, network safety and performance, and to implement the PPC Group’s environmental standards locally. The operated infrastructure includes 293 primary stations and over 26,000 secondary stations.