Gas metering

Consistent with the regulatory framework of reference and in compliance with legislative, technical and metrological standards, Snam, through Snam Rete Gas, ensures the natural gas metering process, which is functional to the physical management of the networks and aimed at supporting the commercial processes of final accounting and billing of fees for the transport service. As evidence of its proactive role in relation to ARERA, Snam has launched a reorganisation and adjustment plan to compensate for the current plurality of parties involved and the different methods of technical and commercial management of metering systems. This plan, in order to improve service, development and market transparency, is based on guiding principles that encourage more efficient energy use by the consumer to effectively facilitate the energy transition process.

Consistent with the expectations of ARERA, Snam undertakes to effectively monitor and contain the quantities of Unaccounted for Gas (GNC) on the transport network, to operate in order to optimise the physical and commercial transportation balance and to correctly manage settlement activities. Another principle referred to in the plan is to ensure maximum levels of security in the operational management of the network and to implement digital technologies for remote activities in order to reduce costs. Finally, the Plan places particular emphasis on operations carried out with a view to “sector coupling” in favour of convergence/integration between the electricity, thermal, gas and biomethane and mobility systems in order to exploit their respective synergies and achieve a high degree of efficiency.

This will make it possible to achieve the goal of covering as much of our energy needs as possible with energy generated from renewable sources and green gases, including hydrogen, while protecting the climate, the environment and reducing energy costs.

In order to renew the current application map for gas metering, Snam has launched the “Renewal of Metering Systems (SUMMER)” project, which will be developed in two phases: the first, which will be completed by 2021, is that relating to Meter Reading, aimed at reconstructing the foundations underlying the application that accounts for metering data up to the issue of the Metering Report; the second will concern Metering, with the aim of defining a new method of managing the plant consistency of delivery and redelivery points, including their graphic display.

The project also includes the implementation of a new Business Intelligence technology to enable the extraction and correlation of data to generate ad hoc reports (Self-BI) and perform advanced analysis on the data itself, and a user interface revamping component for better service to end customers.