Application Features of Automated Fiscal Electricity Metering Systems in Smart Grids Containing Renewable Energy Sources

The digital transformation of the energy sector, accompanied by the development of smart grids, distributed generation, renewable energy sources, and energy storage systems, poses new challenges to electricity metering systems. These challenges are related not only to metering, but also to power system management. In accordance with the provisions of the “Energy Strategy of the Russian Federation for the Period Up to 2050”, these challenges include expanding the use of intelligent electricity (and power) metering systems and effectively equipping power grid facilities with digital remote control devices; increasing the share of metering devices that meet the minimum functional requirements for intelligent electricity metering systems and are connected to such systems (from the total number of metering devices) to at least 70% by 2036 and at least 95% by 2050. This generates the need to deeply modernize the automated fiscal electricity metering system (AFEMS) through introducing bidirectional intelligent metering devices, data transmission, and control units. These devices make it possible not only to measure and account electricity consumption, but also to control power flows for optimizing power supply. The article proposes architectural and hardware solutions for automated fiscal electricity metering systems that facilitate prompt management of distributed generation systems containing renewable energy sources and contribute to enhancing the reliability and economic efficiency of smart grids.