The beginning of a new era
The story began in 2002 with the launch of the ME160, Iskraemeco’s first compact, price-friendly electronic meter designed for mass deployment. It marked a major transition from traditional electromechanical solutions to advanced electronic metering.
Building on this foundation:
- ME161 followed in 2003, enhancing functionality and adaptability.
- ME162, introduced in 2005, became the most advanced and widely adopted member of the family.
At a time when the global energy market demanded accuracy, flexibility, and cost efficiency, the ME16x family delivered all three.
Technology that made a difference
The ME16x meters were pioneers in several important aspects of metering technology:
- Shunt-based measurement system – a first for Iskraemeco, delivering stable, long-term accuracy and eliminating the need for recalibration during the meter’s lifetime
- Bidirectional energy measurement – capable of measuring both import and export energy flows
- Advanced tariffication capabilities – supporting complex multi-tariff structures with seasonal, weekly, and daily schedules
- Integrated communication interfaces – including optical port and CS interface for local and remote data access
- Internal memory for billing data – storing up to 8 previous billing periods
- No-power LCD display – enabling readings even without external power supply
- Multiple inputs and outputs – allowing flexible integration in different grid environments
These features, now standard in modern smart metering, were forward-looking at the time and positioned the ME16x family as a highly competitive solution.
A truly global success
Over its lifecycle, the ME16x family achieved extraordinary global reach with almost 3,5 milion units sold to 40 different countries.
This makes it the most widely distributed electronic meter family in Iskraemeco’s history.
The meters were deployed across all continents, often entering markets that are not traditionally part of the Iskraemeco’s core presence like Australia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Seychelles and more.
In Europe the core markets were:
- Bulgaria: 650,000 meters
- United Kingdom: 620,000 meters
- Netherlands: 570,000 meters
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: 250,000 meters
- Spain: 160,000 meters
The rest of the world:
- Middle East 300,000 meters
- Asia-Pacific: 300,000 meters
- Africa: 110,000 meters
- Americas: 100,000 meters
These figures highlight not only strong penetration in Europe but also a remarkable ability to expand into emerging and remote markets, including island nations and geographically diverse regions.
Built to last
The technical robustness of the ME16x meters ensured:
- Long operational lifetime without maintenance
- High immunity to electromagnetic disturbances
- Compliance with major international standards such as IEC 62053-21 and EN 50470
- Reliable performance across extreme environmental conditions
These qualities translated into trust—utilities around the world deployed millions of units with confidence in their durability and accuracy.
The end of production – and the start of a legacy
As of today, production has officially ended, and the manufacturing lines that produced millions of these meters have been dismantled. This marks the closing chapter of a product family that played a crucial role in Iskraemeco’s transition into the modern era of electronic metering.
Yet, the legacy of ME16x lives on:
- It laid the technological groundwork for future smart meters
- It expanded Iskraemeco’s global presence into new and diverse markets
- It set new internal benchmarks for cost efficiency and product reliability
A tribute to a milestone product
From its launch in 2002 to its final production run, the ME16x family has been more than just a product—it has been a cornerstone of Iskraemeco’s success.
Nearly 3.5 million units installed worldwide stand as a testament to its impact. Behind each meter is a story of energy measured, bills calculated, and infrastructure modernized.
As we move forward into the era of smart and digital solutions, we do so on the shoulders of products like the ME16x—quietly reliable, globally trusted, and truly transformative.
As this important chapter comes to a close, we would like to thank all customers, partners, and employees whose trust, collaboration, and dedication helped shape the successful story of the ME16x family over the years – from development and production to deliveries around the world.
