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Integrated management of $400m rollout of 1.1 million ‘Smart’ Meters – Australia’s largest and most successful

A large electricity distribution business needed to prepare for and manage a $400 million deployment of 1.1 million ‘smart’ meters. Baylink worked with the client to crystallise the overall strategy, establish required capabilities, and to plan and manage the $400m deployment program. This program is recognised as Australia’s largest and most successful ‘smart’ meter program – including market-leading safety and customer satisfaction, and at a 28 to 53% lower cost than comparative programs.

SITUATION

A large electricity distribution business needed to install 1.1 million Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) ‘smart’ meters and transform its metering.

Baylink was engaged by the client to advise and support it to plan, prepare and manage the mass rollout of the 1.1m AMI ‘smart’ meters and associated communications infrastructure.

OBJECTIVES

Key objectives of the Baylink engagement were:

  • Establish strategy for the mass rollout of the 1.1m ‘smart’ meters, cognizant of risks, opportunities and constraints.
  • Establish overall plans and management arrangements for the rollout.
  • Establish the required rolloout capabilities.
  • Integrated management of the rollout to safely achieve installation of the 1.1m ‘smart’ meter on time, on budget to quality requirements.

APPROACH

Baylink worked with the client to achieve the objectives, with key elements as follows:

1. Deployment Strategy. Baylink worked with key stakeholders to develop a holistic and integrated strategy for the deployment of the 1.1m ‘smart’ meters. The strategy was accepted by stakeholders and was a key element in establishing a shared vision of how success would be achieved.

2. Deployment Planning. Baylink worked with key stakeholders to establish an overall rollout plan, including full rollout period, geographic breakdown and planning, required capabilities and risk and issue identification, assessment and treatment.

3. Management Arrangements. Baylink worked with stakeholders to establish a lean and clear overall operating model, management framework, deployment reporting, variance analysis, management review and governance.

4. Capability Establishment. Planning, managing and overseeing the establishment of required rollout capabilities, including adapting these capabilities to meet evolving needs.

5. Risk and Issue Management. Integrated rollout risk and issue identification, analysis, mitigation, management and escalation (as appropriate).

6. Complex Issue Resolution. Analysis and investigation of a broad range of complex issues, including development of resolution recommendations and subsequent implementation.

7. Stakeholder Management. Planning, delivering and supporting evolving internal and external stakeholder management.

8. Integration Management. Baylink led and performed integration management across the deployment program. Baylink also prepared, facilitated and captured the outcomes of a broad range of planning, review, issue/risk management and decision processes across the business.

RESULTS

The program installed over 1.1m ‘smart’ meters on budget, on schedule and with industry-leading safety, compliance and customer satisfaction, and at a 28 to 53% lower cost than comparative programs. It is recognised as the largest and most successful ‘smart’ meter deployment in the Australian utilities market.

The integrated strategy, planning and management function performed by Baylink is recognoised as materially contributing to overall program success.