Inter RAO introduced an intelligent electricity metering system

2024: Introduction of Intelligent Electricity Metering System

SIGMA and InfoTeCS have completed the introduction of an intelligent electricity metering system (ISUE) that fully meets the current requirements for import substitution and information security. The system is designed for real-time interaction with more than 16 million metering points. Subsidiaries of PJSC Inter RAO in 11 regions of Russia have already moved to work in it. InfoTeCS announced this on April 23, 2024.

SIGMA.IVK and LDS SUP system Pioneer with built-in cryptographic information protection tools ViPNet SIES provides complete automation of data collection from electricity metering devices and reliable protection of this data. The microservice modular architecture of the Sigma.IVK and LDS Pioneer SOUP software complex allows unlimited horizontal scaling. Thanks to this, the system can be used as a single solution for processing energy consumption data on any scale - from a settlement to the whole country. About 2,500 protected gateways are already connected to it, "interrogating" intelligent metering devices, and by the end of 2024 their number will grow to 24,000.

Automation of data collection from metering devices reduces the financial losses of energy sales companies due to unauthorized use of electricity and reduces the impact of the human factor when collecting and processing readings. To ensure information security, the solution uses certified embedded means of cryptographic information protection (CIPF) from InfoTeCS, which made it possible not only to organize the necessary protection of information processed and transmitted to ISUE, but also to implement the requirements of the regulator, as well as minimize the cost of the system. The use of certified CIPFs does not allow manipulating the collected accounting data, distorting or replacing them during transmission via communication channels, and also protects the ISUE from the actions of third parties related to the unlawful disconnection of power supply by transmitting unauthorized control commands. Due to the automation of the process, the operating costs of energy sales companies will also decrease - engineers no longer need to go "into the fields" to check the operation of metering devices.

The project uses completely domestic software and domestic equipment - in particular, the cryptographic information protection systems of the ViPNet SIES solution of InfoTeCS certified by the FSB of Russia. This makes it possible to ensure remote safe management of metering devices and collection of data from them in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Law of 26.07.2017 No. 187-FZ "On the Security of the Critical Information Infrastructure of the Russian Federation" for the 1st category of the facility's significance. The solution has high fault tolerance, and its maintenance can be carried out without stopping for the period of service.

The introduction of a software and hardware complex based on SIGMA.IVK and SUP SPD Pioneer products and the cryptographic platform of InfoTeCS allows energy sales companies to fully comply with the requirements of Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 890 of the 19.06.2020 "On the procedure for providing access to a minimum set of functions of intelligent metering systems for electric energy (power)."

The implementation results allow us to confidently declare that the solution meets current legislative requirements and ensures the fulfillment of the strategic tasks of energy sales companies in the field of import substitution, information protection and the transition to digital technologies, - said Alexander Pestunov, Deputy General Director of SIGMA.

The achieved result was made possible by the synergy of all market participants and the desire to work in a team. A lot of work has been done, a positive experience of interaction has been gained, which InfoTeCS is ready to use to ensure the safety of ISUE projects, "said Dmitry Gusev, Deputy General Director of InfoTeCS.