CESI, Wipro activate smart electricity and water readings for Oman’s Nama Group

Nama Group has announced the commencement of the live operation of their centrally implemented Automatic Meter Reading project designed for high value customers in the electricity sector in Oman. The ground-breaking project was carried out by a professional team of Omani experts from the electricity distribution companies in Nama Group in partnership with CESI Middle East, a subsidiary of CESI, a technical consulting and engineering company and Wipro as the system integrator.

The Automatic Meter Reading system is a central standard smart metering system that will enable electricity companies to obtain accurate, hourly meter readings from high value customers and collect their consumption in an automated manner.

CESI has been supporting the project since its inception in 2015, and the company’s role has been to manage the project activities to ensure the efficient coordination and delivery of several contractors, service providers and manufacturers involved in the project’s extensive implementation. With a track record of experience in the GCC, CESI has helped develop and realise some of the biggest projects in the region, in partnership with local organisations.

The Italy-based company has been present in Oman since 2012 working on a number of consultancy undertakings including the development of hybrid diesel, solar PV generation projects; assessing technical and economic feasibility of hybrid generation projects for power stations for RAECO; the development of standards for installation and implementation of solar PV panels for the Authority for Electricity Regulation in Oman, and inspections of small scale solar installations on school rooftops for Shell Development Oman.

CESI is a technical consulting and engineering company with more than 60 years of experience operating in more than 40 countries around the world providing testing and certification services to the electromechanical industry as well as consulting and engineering services to the energy sector.

The company’s key clients include governmental institutions, regulatory authorities, major utilities, Transmission System Operators, Distribution System Operators, generation companies, system integrators, financial institutions and international electromechanical and electronic manufacturers.

Furthermore, CESI works in close cooperation with international financial institutions such as, among others, the World Bank Group, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Arab Fund.

CESI consultancy services have supported remote meter readings of more than 50 million meter points world-wide. CESI provides testing and certification services as well as consulting and engineering services. CESI also develops and manufactures advanced solar cells, III-V triple junction GaAS for space and terrestrial application CPV.

Major consulting services include: Power Systems studies and Power Market studies, Master Planning and Operational Planning, design and Owner’s Engineering for HVAC, HVDC Interconnections, Real Time Operations supervision and control, Asset Management, Integration of Renewable Energies and Storage Systems, design and Owner’s Engineering of Smart Grids and Smart Metering deployments, Technological and Environmental Audits, Control and Regulation Systems for Power Plants, Engineering services for Testing Laboratories, Environmental Impact Assessments, Civil Engineering Services for hydro and renewable plants and Environmental Monitoring Systems for Electric Power Plants.

Nama Group consists of eleven joint stock companies registered in the Sultanate of Oman. These companies were created as a result of restructuring of the electricity sector and its related water services in 2004 and commenced commercial operations on 1 May 2005. In 2014 NH launched its Nama Institute for Competency Development NICD which aims to develop competences in the utility sector.

The Group of companies includes Nama Holding NH, Mazoon Electricity Company MZEC, Muscat Electricity Distribution Company MEDC, Majan Electricity Company MJEC, Dhofar Power Company DPC, Rural Areas Electricity Company RAECO, Oman Electricity Transmission Company OETC, Al Gubrah Power and Desalination Company GPDC, Wadi Al Jizzi Power Company WAJPC, and Oman Power and Water Procurement Company OPWP.

“We are honoured to work with Nama Group on this significant project for the Sultanate of Oman. By tapping into our team’s extensive experience developed over tens of Automatic Meter Reading projects implemented in Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East for approximately 50 million customers, the Oman Automatic Meter Reading project will successfully foster the creation of an advanced power sector in the country, and also help Nama realise their vision for utility service excellence and industry leadership amongst the GCC,” said Dr Matteo Codazzi, CESI’s CEO.

Dr Floris Schulze, Managing Director, CESI Middle East FZE added, “This Automatic Meter Reading project is very significant for the development of the electricity sector in Oman, as accurate and precise meter readings prepares the sector for future advancements such as distributed rooftop solar generation, whereby solar energy is generated and consumed locally.”

Nama Group CEO, Eng Omar Al Wahaibi stated, “The Automatic Meter Reading is another milestone in our continuous efforts to drive the electricity sector to enhance efficiencies, reduce electricity losses and provide better services to our customers. Moreover, this project sets a strong basis for providing more advanced services to our customers and helps us to be more effective in serving their needs in an efficient manner, in our quest to realise Nama’s vision of becoming a leading reference for utility service excellence by 2022.”

Dr Mansoor Al Hinai, Nama’s VP Distribution added, “This project, which is implemented by Omani experts from the electricity sector with the support of CESI and WIPRO will help the sector implement future vision of building Omanis capabilities and put them at the forefront of leading technologies in the electricity industry.”

“The project will also support the implementation of privatisation and electricity supply competition in line with the Oman Government’s vision. CESI’s knowledge and experience is a key factor in embedding enhancements in systems, processes and employee capabilities, which not only secured the project’s success, but also helped create a long-lasting effect of improvement and efficiency in the sector.”

Key takeaways

• Automatic Meter Reading system is a central smart metering system that will enable electricity companies to obtain accurate meter readings.
• Nama Group consists of eleven joint stock companies registered in the Sultanate of Oman.
• CESI consultancy services have supported remote meter readings of more than 50 million-meter points world-wide.