Itron Managed Services partnered with Sotex Solutions to build a smart prepayment platform for managing SMETS1 electricity and gas meters across the UK. The system unified dual fuel operations, integrated with suppliers, vending, and billing platforms, and ensured full COSEM DLMS compliance. Delivered through a multi year engagement, the solution improved reliability, sped up vending transactions, reduced support load, and enabled scalable, vendor neutral smart metering operations.
Overview
Prepayment energy systems are critical for increasing energy accessibility and giving consumers better control over usage and spending. Itron Managed Services partnered with Sotex Solutions to deliver a comprehensive smart prepayment platform for managing SMETS1 meters across dual fuel installations (electricity and gas). The solution integrates with various suppliers, billing systems, and vending providers, delivering a seamless and scalable infrastructure for real-time energy management.
Challenges
Itron faced key hurdles in building a market-ready prepayment solution:
- Managing Dual Fuel Complexity – Required a unified platform for electricity and gas transactions.
- Protocol Integration – Full compliance with COSEM/DLMS communication standards for SMETS1 meters.
- Third-Party System Compatibility – Needed smooth, secure integration with suppliers, vending solutions, and billing software.
- Long-Term Engineering Resources – Sustained product development and support over multiple years.
Our Solution & Key Features
Sotex delivered a modular and future-ready smart prepayment system through close collaboration with Itron’s product and technical teams. Our involvement included full-cycle delivery—from requirements gathering to architecture, development, and support. Key capabilities included:
- Integrated System Architecture – Designed and implemented a scalable backend to ensure seamless connection between Itron SMETS1 meters and external systems including suppliers, vending services, and billing platforms.
- Dual Fuel Management Dashboard – Developed a unified interface to manage electricity and gas transactions with real-time insights.
- Protocol-Compliant Meter Operations – Engineered full compatibility with COSEM/DLMS protocols for secure, reliable smart meter interactions.
- Vendor-Neutral Infrastructure – Enabled easy integration with multiple energy service providers and third-party systems.
- Dedicated Engineering Team – Sotex managed a team of up to 14 engineers over a two-year engagement, ensuring agile delivery and ongoing maintenance.
- Comprehensive Documentation & Planning – Led requirements workshops, system design, estimates, and deployment strategy to ensure alignment with Itron’s objectives.
Key Achievements
The project delivered tangible improvements across multiple performance areas:
- 99.9% System Uptime – Ensured consistent transaction processing and platform reliability.
- 30% Reduction in Customer Service Inquiries – Real-time balances and vending transparency improved user experience.
- 40% Faster Vending Transactions – Optimized system architecture reduced transaction processing time across energy types.
- Full SMETS1 Compliance – Aligned with UK smart metering standards, supporting wide-scale deployment.
- 98% Integration Success Rate – Seamless onboarding of new suppliers and vending partners.
Technology Stack
- Backend: .Net, ASP.Net MVC
- Frontend: Angular
- Database: SQL Server
Conclusion
Through a close collaboration with Itron Managed Services, Sotex developed a resilient, scalable, and SMETS1-compliant smart prepayment platform that delivers operational efficiency and superior end-user experience. The system supports dual fuel metering, vendor integration, and secure real-time transactions, helping Itron serve the UK energy market with confidence.
Planning to launch or scale a smart metering solution?
Reach out to Sotex for expert development support.
📧 bd@sotexsolutions.com
📞 +381 64 165 7193
