CGI has announced that it has been selected by TMA Data Management (TMA), a UK provider of meter data management solutions, to provide the systems that will enable connection to the 53 million smart meters being deployed in Britain between 2015 and 2020.
CGI will supply its ‘Adapter’ solution that simplifies the process of connecting to the Data and Communications Company (DCC), the shared technology infrastructure that will support the 53 million smart meters to be deployed by UK energy companies to 2020. CGI’s Adapter meets the terms of connection set out in the Smart Energy Code that governs access to the smart meter infrastructure and the data held on smart meters. The Adapter minimises the level of IT development change needed to an energy company’s own internal systems making it easier and more efficient to be smart meter ready.
TMA will use the solution to offer a service to tier 2 and new entrant energy suppliers and other authorised users of the DCC services, helping to reduce barriers to entry in Britain’s smart meter enabled energy market, improve competition for people’s business and increase consumer choice.
Tara McGeehan, vice president energy and utilities in the UK, CGI said, “Britain’s Smart Metering Implementation Programme is recognised as the most ambitious in the world. The success of the programme will be judged by consumers having greater choice in terms of who supplies their energy and how they choose to consume energy at home. TMA’s decision to provide a service that simplifies access to smart meter data by smaller and new entrant energy companies is an important step in delivering those choices. I am delighted that TMA has selected CGI to provide the Adapter system that will enable them to deliver on this vision.”
Eric Graham, commercial director at TMA, highlighted, “We have a long heritage delivering meter data collection to energy suppliers operating in the British market. By offering a service based on CGI’s Adapter we can take the pain out of smart meter readiness for our energy customers. By supporting tier two and new entrant firms in this way we are helping to ensure consumers access the best possible service whilst supporting competition in the UK energy market.”
This contract builds on CGI’s experience of delivering smart metering data solutions in the British market and over 30 years of working with the utilities sector. CGI is developing and will operate the DCC’s data systems that will link smart gas and electricity meters with the business systems of utility companies. The smart meter programme is expected to deliver £6.2bn of consumer, economic and environmental net benefits to the UK.
