Uruguay launches smart meter tender targeting full residential coverage

Uruguay has launched a smart meter tender as state utility UTE carries out a plan to equip each of its residential customers with one by the end of next year. 

Officials are seeking 180,000 single phase and 20,000 three-phase smart meters and associated software and components, along with consulting-training and maintenance services, according to tender documents. 

Clients will be able to check their usage via the internet or an app.

UTE has already deployed 1mn units and from July officials plan to expand the scheme to SMEs. The company has some 1.5mn service connections, the bulk residential.

Average monthly power consumption was 472kWh in 2021, according to data in the company’s latest annual report. Average monthly residential consumption was 231kWh.

Distributed solar generation has grown apace in Uruguay, climbing from 2.11GWh produced (1.22GWh injected and 889MWh consumed) in 2014 to 39.2GWh (20.5GWh injected and 18.7GWh consumed) in 2021. 

The residential segment accounted for 122MWh of the total in 2014 (94MWh injected and 28MWh consumed), climbing to 2.88GWh (1.84GWh injected and 1.03GWh consumed) in 2021. 

Bids are due by May 5.

Click here for more details.

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In related news, shares in six solar PV parks that have 20-year power purchase agreements with UTE will be auctioned on Tuesday, media outlet Energía Estratégica reported.

Via a court liquidation measure, the report said officials will auction the 13.5% stake that Lafemir has in the parks, whose combined installed capacity is 84.4MW.

The assets are Giacote Arapey (12.9MW), Dicano (13.7MW), Fenima (11.3MW), Petilcoran (11.3MW), Giacote Young (25.7MW) and Raditon (9.5MW).

Installed capacity in Uruguay stands at 4.91GW, according to the country’s 2021 national energy report. Hydropower accounts for 31%, wind power 31%, thermoelectric 24%, biomass 9% and solar power 5%.