Manx Utilities replacement of manually read electricity metres

Summary

The requester asked for details on the contract to replace manually read electricity meters, including the supplier, value, and tender process. Manx Utilities disclosed that no supply contract has been signed yet, but confirmed a 2018 agreement with Trilliant for the communication network and listed five companies that responded to the tender for that system.

Key Facts

• Manx Utilities has not yet entered into a contract for the supply of advanced/smart meters.
• A contract was signed with Trilliant in late 2018 for a dedicated low power Radio Frequency Network.
• The network is designed to provide island-wide connectivity to 50,000 customer premises.
• Data will be transmitted securely to the Isle of Man Government's hosted data centres.
• Five companies submitted proposals for the communications system: Arqiva, L&G, Iskrameco, Trilliant, and Itron.

Data Disclosed

• 2019-08-20
• 2019-08-21
• 2018
• 50,000
• Five companies

Exemptions Cited

• Information not held

Original Request

Please provide information held relating to the following: Who the contract for replacing manually read meters has been awarded to? Value of the contract? Contract term? Details of the Technology that will be used to gather the data from the smart meters? will this be over a mobile network or a new MUA configured network? how will the data that is gathered be stored, will this be GDPR compliant? Was this contract issued for tender, if so, how many companies responded and the details/names of these companies?

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Manx Utilities PO Box 177, Douglas Isle of Man, IM99 1PS

e: enquiries@manxutilities.im t: 01624 687687 www.manxutilities.im

Our ref: 931113 21 August 2019

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 20 August 2019 and which states:

"Please provide information held relating to the following: Who the contract for replacing manually read meters has been awarded to? Value of the contract? Contract term? Details of the Technology that will be used to gather the data from the smart meters? will this be over a mobile network or a new MUA configured network? how will the data that is gathered be stored, will this be GDPR compliant? Was this contract issued for tender, if so, how many companies responded and the details/names of these companies?"

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because we have not yet entered into contract for the supply of advanced/smart meters. Once this contract has been agreed we will be able to provide further details to all our stakeholders. I have detailed below the information that is held. Regarding the technology that will be used to gather the data from the smart meters, as per a previous press release Manx Utilities signed a contract with Trilliant at the end of 2018 for the supply of a dedicated low power Radio Frequency Network to provide island wide connectivity to 50,000 customer premises.
Data from the meter hardware will be transmitted securely to Isle of Man Government’s hosted data centres. All aspects of the smart metering system will comply with GDPR and Data Protection legislation and the proposals have been endorsed by the Information Commissioner. This will be reviewed on an ongoing basis
as the programme develops to ensure that any processing of personal data is undertaken in compliance with data protection legislation. Regarding the commercial appointment process of the communications system, this was undertaken in two phases and in compliance with financial regulations.

Five companies submitted proposals as follows; • Arqiva • L&G • Iskrameco • Trilliant • Itron Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

Please quote the reference number 931113 in any future communications. I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely