BC Hydro, the third largest electric utility in Canada, has announced the advancement of its Smart Metering & Infrastructure Program with the selection of Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, for the implementation of this $930 million CAD (approximately €709million) program. The three-year contract with Capgemini is worth an estimated $63 million CAD (approximately €48 million).

The Smart Metering & Infrastructure Program is a key first step in delivering a modern electricity grid for the benefit of BC Hydro customers. By reducing electricity theft, encouraging conservation, and making the system more efficient, BC Hydro is confident that the newly installed digital meters will reduce operating costs and help to reduce the upwards pressures on rates.

Digital meters will also enable customers to view their consumption in near real-time helping them to save money on their bills. “Customers will have a direct connection between their consumption and their bill,” said Fiona Taylor, acting director, Smart Metering & Infrastructure Program, BC Hydro. “Not only will customers be able to save money, their collective actions will play a key role in helping to meet conservation goals and ensuring that BC is energy self-sufficient by 2016.”

Under the agreement, Capgemini will provide system integration and project management services, helping to design and deliver a program that will see the replacement of more than 1.8 million meters in BC with smart meters, along with information technology and telecommunications infrastructure to enable two-way communications between BC Hydro and its customers.

“We have carefully designed this program to deliver a positive business case and the best possible value to our customers,” said Taylor. “We are now collaborating with Capgemini to deploy the program based on their proven industry experience, and their ability to deliver real results on time.”

“This new partnership with BC Hydro underscores the success of our collaborative approach in helping utilities develop solutions to effectively meet current and future challenges, while effectively addressing the needs of environmentally conscious consumers,” said Perry Stoneman, vice president and global leader, Smart Energy Services, Capgemini. “Capgemini’s Smart Energy Services solutions help utilities increase efficiency, and enables them to transform existing infrastructure, programs and services to fulfill regulatory requirements and meet consumer needs.”