Serbia's electricity distributor, EDS, has now connected more than 900,000 customers to smart meters, with the rollout backed by EU grants and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development financing.
European regions and industry push for tougher "Made in Europe" rules
The large-scale meter replacement began with EU grants worth €110 million, before continuing with a €40 million EBRD loan. Preparations are now under way to replace a further 400,000 meters using European Investment Bank financing. To date, around €200 million has been invested in smart meters in Serbia, with almost one in four meters now read remotely, according to Biljana Komnenić, EDS's acting director.
EU and EBRD tour Niš
A joint EBRD and EU delegation, led by Francesco Corbo and Andreas von Beckerath, visited Niš, one of Serbia's leading cities for smart meter coverage, including a residential building where 140 units have been installed. "Modernising electricity distribution networks is key to Serbia's transition to a low-carbon energy system," said Corbo, the EBRD's regional head of energy for the Western Balkans and Croatia. "For citizens, the benefits are simple and practical: more accurate bills and better control over costs," said the EU's ambassador to Serbia, von Beckerath.
UK – plug-in solar hits the shelves at major high street retailers
Across the Western Balkans and the EU, EBRD financing is being used to upgrade ageing grid infrastructure as candidate countries align more closely with the bloc's energy and climate policies. Smart metering is central to that shift, giving grid operators the data needed to manage variable renewable generation, distributed solar and more active consumer participation. (TF)
