ACTOM supplies AMI solution to Tzaneen
25 January 2012
News
Greater Tzaneen Municipality in Limpopo Province has become the first local authority in South Africa to adopt the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system offered by ACTOM Protection & Control (P&C), one of the country’s leading metering systems suppliers.
(Left to right) Flip Schutte, technical assistant, Projects, Greater Tzaneen Municipality; Mikee Zhang, Hexing’s regional manager for South Africa; P&C electricity metering engineer Azwitamisi Mavhungu; Jianming Fang, Hexing system engineer
After the successful completion of a three-month pilot project, which ran from May to July last year, the municipality has followed up with an order for a large-scale project involving 250 prepaid meters, plus the accompanying control and monitoring systems.
“This is the first time that we are providing a complete metering solution to a South African municipality, as the most we have provided to municipalities prior to this were prepaid meters and customer interface units. The Tzaneen contract consists of the complete solution available from Hexing Electrical of China, our smart metering systems principals,” said Azwitamisi Mavhungu, P&C’s electricity metering engineer.
The complete solution comprises customer interface units (CIUs), prepaid meters, data concentrators, a master server and the AMI software. The pilot system run earlier will be integrated into the larger-scale system, bringing the total number of prepaid meters installed to 319 and the total number of data concentrators to eight.
Mavhungu said the system will greatly enhance and simplify the municipality’s ability to monitor and control the electricity usage of consumers. “Whereas with the standard prepayment meter where there is no system of communication, with the complete solution the municipality will be able from the master station to do monthly profiling of consumption per area and per consumer and can remotely switch on and off supply to consumers individually. It can also detect whenever any illegal connections are made, enabling it to immediately take whatever remedial action is necessary,” he explained.
The existing power line is used as the communication channel between the CIU at the consumer’s premises, the meter situated in the metering box and the data concentrator in the mini-sub, while GPRS provides the communication between the concentrator and the master server.
For more information contact Brian van Rensburg, ACTOM Protection & Control, +27 (0)11 820 5319, [email protected], www.actom.co.za
Further reading:
From the editor’s desk: Windows 10’s end of support arrives bringing industrial risks
Technews Publishing
News
By the time you read this column, support for non-LTSC editions of Windows 10 will have ended, officially having their last day on 14 October 2025. This means no more security patches, feature updates,
...
Read more...
Electronic News Digest
News
A brief synopsis of current global news relating to the electronic engineering fields with regards to company finances, general company news, and engineering technologies.
Read more...
Correction: Marijana Abt, Rebound Electronics
News
In the August issue of
Dataweek magazine, the article titled ‘Celebrating innovation, leadership, and the next generation’ featured Marijana Abt, senior account manager at Rebound Electronics. Owing
...
Read more...
Trasna and RF Design announce distribution agreement
RF Design
News
Trasna and RF Design have announced a strategic distribution agreement for cellular IoT solutions which will ensure seamless availability of Trasna’s cellular connectivity solutions.
Read more...
Local partnership puts demand-side management to work in South Africa
News
Sensor Networks has partnered with European demand-side management specialist ThermoVault to bring advanced load-shifting capabilities to one of the country’s biggest energy consumers: the household geyser.
Read more...
Hisense SA launches year-long learnership programme for youth
News
Hisense SA’s manufacturing plant in Atlantis recently welcomed 100 young people from the local community, to embark on a year-long learnership and skills development programme.
Read more...
Comtest hosts channel partners
Comtest
News
Comtest, together with FLUKE, recently set the stage for an unforgettable afternoon as they welcomed over 80 Channel Partners to their annual celebration of excellence.
Read more...
RS South Africa and Qhubeka empower learners through the gift of mobility
RS South Africa
News
Through its bicycle donation initiative, 354 bicycles have been distributed to date, empowering students to access education more easily by reducing the physical and economic barriers posed by long daily commutes.
Read more...
Deca and SST announce strategic collaboration
News
The collaboration provides customers with a modular, memory-centric foundation for advanced multi-die architectures.
Read more...
Specialised Exhibitions transitions to new name: Montgomery Group Africa
News
As part of a strategic move to streamline operations, strengthen regional alignment, and support long-term growth, Specialised Exhibitions has transitioned to a new name: Montgomery Group Africa.
Read more...
printer friendly version