Silicon Labs has shipped four million FG23 SoCs for smart electricity meters as part of India’s Advanced Metering Initiative (AMI). The initiative was announced in 2021 as part of a move to modernise India’s power grid and reduce losses. Reportedly, combined Silicon Labs and Wirepas solutions make up 1 million of the 7 million smart meters eployed as part of the initiative.
These FG23 SoCs use RF mesh technology from Wirepas. The availability and performance of the chip has driven the adoption of highly reliable and efficient smart electricity metering solutions tailored to the specific needs of India’s dynamic and demanding power landscape.
“We are proud to support India’s ambitious Advanced Metering Initiative with best-in-class performance for the modern smart metering demands of India’s energy sector,” said Ross Sabolcik, Senior Vice President of the Industrial and Commercial Business Unit at Silicon Labs. “The FG23 SoC with Wirepas RF mesh offers distinct advantages, particularly in large, dense environments.”
The FG23 SoC, incorporating Wirepas Mesh Sub-GHz connectivity, has become an ideal solution for AMI deployments thanks to its characteristics which include infinite scalability, ultra-low power consumption, and ultra-resilience.
For example, the Wirepas network continuously adjusts to environmental changes, seamlessly optimising data paths. Even after power outages, the network quickly restructures within minutes, reliably meeting utilities’ strict requirements for data delivery. Its capability to meet the demanding communication and reliability requirements of India’s smart metering landscape has enabled solution providers to successfully meet and exceed customer needs with a 99.9% proven reliability.
As part of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) in India, smart metering projects must meet rigorous standards, which requires adherence to the specifications set out in the Standard Bidding Documents (SBD) and compliance to Indian Standard IS 15959. The FG23 SoC, leveraging Wirepas RF mesh, meets these specifications, enabling solution providers to streamline integration while adhering to all regulatory requirements.
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