On the rescheduling of smart meter roll-out programme

On the rescheduling of smart meter roll-out programme in the Networks segment

AB “Ignitis grupė” (hereinafter – Company or Ignitis Group) informs that its subsidiary AB “Energijos skirstymo operatorius” (hereinafter – ESO), in order to comply with the highest cybersecurity requirements and to minimise the potential risks, has updated the implementation schedule of the smart meter roll-out programme in Lithuania (hereinafter – Programme).

The schedule is changed after performing initial analysis of the solution with the successful supplier Sagemcom Energy & Telecom SAS (hereinafter – Supplier) (the decision to sign the contract with the Supplier ), where it was assessed that in order to ensure cybersecurity risk management and solution robustness in long term, before starting the installation of smart meters, a hardware and software of the security infrastructure must be installed and tested.

Installing this infrastructure will ensure the highest level of cybersecurity as well as information confidentiality, integrity and authorised access. Smart meters and the whole security infrastructure solutions were previously scheduled to be installed in parallel, i.e., at the same time as the smart meter roll-out.

The installation of the security infrastructure also complies with the recommendations of the Commission for evaluation of compliance of potential actors of the companies of strategic or national importance with the national security interests for this kind of transaction that urge avoiding potential cybersecurity and related risks.

The smart meter installation for the residents who consume more than 1,000 kWh of electricity annually and business customers will commence in the first half of 2022 and will be completed by the end of 2025. It was announced previously that installation works will be started in Q4 2021 and completed by the end of 2023.

It is important to note that, due to rescheduling of the Programme, the optimal period of installation will be ensured while ensuring the lowest reasonable installation costs, compared to the alternatives. It is estimated that by the end of 2023, 80 % of all electricity transmitted in the ESO network will be accounted with the help of installed smart meters.

For more information please contact:

Lukas Zadarackas

Public Relations Manager at Ignitis Group