Tehran Times � Iran�s Power Generation and Distribution Company (known as TAVANIR) and the Iranian Electrical Power Equipment Manufacturing and Provision Company (SATKAB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for installing five million smart electricity meters.

As reported by the portal of Iranian Energy Ministry (known as Paven), with this MOU signed, the second phase of the Energy Ministry�s national smart metering program (known as FAHAM) was officially started.

Based on this MOU, five million smart electricity meters will be installed across the country within the next two years.

In this stage, 2.5 million three-phase electricity consumers, including small industrial, commercial, and agricultural customers as well as three-phase household consumers, will be equipped with such smart meters along with another 2.5 million single-phase household consumers and commercial subscribers, with a priority for high-consuming subscribers.

According to Mohammad-Ali Validad, the deputy operator of FAHAM, all the mentioned electricity meters will be manufactured inside the country.

According to the official, 100,000 smart meters will be installed in the next two months.
In early June, Paven announced that 18,650 smart electricity meters have been installed across Tehran for large-scale electricity consumers.

According to the Head of Tehran Power Distribution Company, Reza Teimouri, of the mentioned number, 3,242 meters were installed for the agricultural sector.

In May, Validad had announced that 56,000 agricultural wells were equipped with smart electricity meters.

FAHAM is aiming to monitor the electricity consumption across the country, especially among the large-scale subscribers.

In March 2009 implementation of FAHAM was placed on the agenda of Iranian government and Energy Ministry.

The target was decreasing electricity loss at least one percent per year and 14 percent decrease in overall network loss by 2015.

FAHAM project is funded by Energy Ministry of Iran and is being executed under the supervision of Iran Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Management Company.

Iran is facing a rising demand for electricity and the Energy Ministry has been following new policies in recent years to manage the consumption and lessen the electricity losses in the national grid.

In December 2018, Mohammad Hassan Motevalizadeh, the managing director of TAVANIR, said Iran�s power industry needs six quadrillion rials (near $142.8 billion) to keep the country�s electricity infrastructure up with the rising demand.

Modifying consumption patterns and also electricity tariffs has been offered as practical solutions to reduce electricity consumption in the country.