This project focus was for nVisionIT to integrate smart metering infrastructure as part of an IOT (Internet of things) deployment leveraging Microsoft BizTalk, Microsoft SQL in a private cloud deployment.

City Power’s vision for the Smart Meter Implementation Programme (SMIP) is that intelligent energy meters in homes and businesses will collect information on usage and send all the data to a central hub located at City Power.

The SMIP requires major IT investments, with a need for smart meters, smart communicating modules, advanced communications networks, as well as technologies to secure data.

The end-end solution includes; Field Deployment Managers, Meter Data Management Systems, Meter Data Collection Systems, SQL, Windows Server, SAP, BizTalk, ASP.NET, WCF, APN’s, Oracle, Hexing Meters and iTron Meters.

Key Features of the Solution Include:

• Scalable, Open-Architecture
  This enterprise-wide data management solution manages interval, register and event data in a central repository for residential and LPU customers.
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• Secure, Centralized Data Environment
  The environment reduces the likelihood of errors in business processes that use meter data. IEE MDM interfaces easily to existing billing systems and analysis tools such as complex billing, customer care, demand response, distribution optimization and design and revenue assurance. This allows City Power to deploy a cost-effective data management system without affecting existing billing processes.
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• Advanced Metering
  Allows seamless integration that gives City Power the freedom to adopt best-in-class elements throughout their network.
  In the first phase of the project over 100 thousand meters were commissioned and integrated into the billing platforms, across LPU (Large power users) and normal end users (Single & Three Phase Meters). In total the integration solution will provide over 33 unique integration interfaces (as per the provided diagram see attached reference).
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• Each of the 33 Interfaces Require
  Platform integration (across various technology stacks from WS*, REST, flat file Processing to Queues), Process orchestration and Advanced reporting.
  SQL Analysis Services, Reporting Services and a Dashboard built in .Net MVC provide the management and reporting interfaces. City Power Johannesburg is convinced as a result of this project of the value of the Microsoft platform, and in particular the BizTalk and related integration components. The platform has proven it’s self in scalability and reliability at a fraction of the cost of competitor products.

Benefits of the Smart Metering Solution Include:

• Reduce cost/time to gather and reconcile meter data from multiple collection systems.
• Provide higher quality data from operating a single enterprise-wide data repository.
• Improve reliability, security and consistency of meter data for billing and analytics.
• Reduce number of errors associated with increased data collection and intervals.
• Interface to numerous analytical software applications.
• Improved operational efficiency by way of secure data that’s audited and easily accessible to the enterprise.
• Insulate the utility’s business systems from the details of metering/meter reading in a multi-technology environment.
• Enable utility to offer new dynamic pricing programs that encourage energy efficiency.
• Allow the utility to make use of load management functionality to reduce the pressure on the national grid.
• City Power Johannesburg’s use of technology was recognised by Microsoft in its 2015 annual global awards, naming nVisionIT its worldwide Application Integration Partner of the Year. This recognition supports the City Power vision of a world-class electricity distributor.