Enedis deploys more than 5,000 Pinky meters responsible for measuring data at the scale of a building or a district. Objective: to optimize the electricity consumption of cities and ultimately to predict network outages.
You have been accustomed for several years now to Linky neon yellow electricity meters. Their arrival caused a stir at the time, with some refusing to install them even if it meant living without electricity. Others see it as a spy tool and cover it with opaque tape in case there is a camera (there isn’t). In any case, let’s hope you have nothing against him, because you will now have to put up with his cousin: Pinkie.
Behind this code name adopted internally by Enedis hides a counter of a new kind. Unlike Linky, designed for individual readings, Pinky is responsible for recording the data at the scale of a building or a district. More specifically, it measures, among other things, the voltages, currents or ambient temperatures of public transformer stations, at the rate ofa reading every 10 minutes. No need for mobile network, the meter uses PLC (Power Line Carrier) for transmission.
The Pinky electricity meter prepares the energy transition of cities
What are these records used for? First, they allow Enedis to better understand how energy travels in the areas studied, mainly eco-districts. This is particularly useful given the rise of solar panels and the need to install charging stations for electric cars, which inevitably has an impact on the network. Then, the collected data will allow tooptimize energy consumption by identifying the most energy-intensive points or by detecting anomalies.
Finally, in the near future, Enedis wants to use Pinky meters to create a digital twin of the power grid that they cover. The idea is ultimately to anticipate potential breakdowns and act much faster if necessary. More than 5,000 Pinkys will be deployed by the end of the year in Enedis medium and low voltage transformation substations. Some cities like Paris, Nice, Bordeaux, Lyon or Montpellier are already using it.
Source: Le Journal du Net