Client Eandis, a Belgian energy company Challenge Adapt the existing IT system to be compliant with rules of the deregulated Belgian electricity and gas market. Solution Creation of a new, integrated system based upon the SAP IS-U solution, tailored for the utilities industry. Results The new SocLev system was implemented on time and on budget, resulting in more efficient business processes. Click to download the brochure (PDF). Download the file

The Belgian energy market was deregulated in 2003, creating a competitive internal market for electricity and natural gas. Out of this deregulation was born Eandis, whose mandate was to carry out operational tasks for the distribution network operators. Eandis had to adapt its IT system to comply with the rules of the deregulated Belgian electricity and gas market.

CSC, in partnership with ICE, who specializes in business consulting services and SAP configuration skills, was asked to replace Eandis’ legacy system with a new, integrated system based upon the SAP IS-U solution, an SAP package tailored for the utilities industry. The system would make Eandis IT-independent, and help it gain control over its processes.

One of the many tasks of Eandis is to meet the social obligations imposed on distribution network operators by the Flemish government. Domestic customers who are unable to pay their gas or electricity bills may find themselves cut off by their supplier. If they are unable to find a new supplier, then the distribution network operator in the municipality where the customer lives has an obligation to supply gas or electricity. In this case the distribution network operator becomes a social supplier. For customers of the social supplier, Eandis installs a budget meter for electricity.


SocLev is in the air
To handle the transition to deregulation, a new SAP system called SocLev was created. It includes the account creation for new and dropped customers, the tracking of energy consumption, and billing and payment collection. CSC led the project and was responsible for business process design, the implementation of the SocLev system based on SAP IS-U and integration with external systems via SAP Xi (Exchange Infrastructure). Communications with other market players went via EDIEL (Electronic Data Interchange Electricity), the standard messaging protocol in the energy market. CSC also prepared and executed a complex data migration and helped Eandis select a hosting partner, making Eandis also hardware independent.

"The initial release of SocLev went live on December 5, 2005," says Ludo Verbeuren, IT-project leader of Eandis. "Eandis, CSC and ICE had the same project spirit and passed with flying colors in their combined objective."


Budget meter system unique in Europe
The concept of budget meters is new for continental Europe. Eandis immediately installs a budget meter after the customer is dropped by his supplier and the client is issued a budget meter card. Credit can be loaded at different Eandis customer centers and at the municipal social service department. With a budget meter customers have to pay in advance. This helps them to plan their energy budget in a rational way, without having to sacrifice comfort. If the amount on the budget meter card is completely used up, then the customer is reduced to a minimum supply. Domestic customers are rarely cut off entirely and even then only under strict conditions.

The budget meter management system and SAP SocLev were needed to manage prepayments. There is a two-way information exchange system between the budget meter management system and the budget meter on the customer premises. This exchange system makes it possible to look up the credit amount for a specific budget meter client in the budget meter management system. Integration between the budget meter management system and SocLev completes the cycle and allows the automatic creation of "prepaid invoices" in SAP when loading actions on the budget meter card have taken place.

CSC at same level as Eandis
The SocLev system is more automated and tailored to reflect Eandis’ processes. In creating the new SAP system, CSC emphasized communication and preparation, training 150 users. The end result is that business processes are executed in a more efficient way, errors are minimized and the system’s end users are able to focus more on customers. "The implementation of an information system like SocLev within time and budget is only possible with a passionate and competent team," says Lode Vanhee, project manager of Eandis. Eandis decided to continue working with CSC to equip the system with new and enhanced functionalities. CSC will also provide associated support for the next 10 years.

The Eandis project is one of Belgium’s biggest SAP IS-U implementations. All major energy suppliers have IS-U in place or are looking to implement it in the coming years. The budget meter process is unique today for continental Europe, but will be adopted in other regions by other customers, including commercial. The experience gained on this project puts CSC on the map in Belgium and Europe as one of the key integrators in the utilities market.