Samara’s Gas Revolution: How 1,200 Smart Meters Are Driving Utility Innovation Through IoT

As part of a digital overhaul in public utilities, Gazprom Gas Distribution Samara has deployed over 1,200 smart gas metering systems for commercial users — marking the Volga region’s largest IoT rollout in the gas sector and laying the groundwork for a unified smart utility ecosystem.

Technology Backbone of the Project

The large-scale initiative by Gazprom Gas Distribution Samara not only automates real-time data collection but also sets the stage for integrating all municipal services into a comprehensive smart city platform.

The smart systems are telemetry-based complexes that automatically transmit consumption data, conduct equipment self-diagnostics, and interface with the 'My Gas Network' mobile app (available on App Store and RuStore). This eliminates manual data input and reduces errors by up to 99%.

Gazprom subsidiaries are steadily integrating digital tools into their infrastructure. At the 2024 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Gazprom Mezhregiongaz and Veon’s Beeline mobile network agreed to equip these systems with universal SIM cards (Unisim) featuring custom data plans.

Real-World Benefits and Safety Gains

Smart gas meters (SGMs) deliver tangible benefits across the utility value chain. Consumers gain 24/7 access to consumption data, billing transparency, and automatic alerts in case of irregularities through the mobile app. Many SGMs also include built-in gas leak sensors, enhancing household safety.

Smart gas metering in Russia has enormous potential. Gas suppliers are deeply interested in automatic data collection — from volume and consumption profiles to real-time incident alerts. Integrating this data into centralized monitoring platforms will significantly enhance safety and operational efficiency. I hope we’ll see widespread installation of smart meters in new apartment buildings starting next year — it’s a crucial move for preventing gas-related emergencies overall

Igor Goryunov

Executive Director of MIRTEX – Gas Metering Systems LLC

Regionally, the deployment of SGMs helps reduce commercial losses, optimize repair schedules, and improve customer service — contributing to more resilient and efficient gas infrastructure.

Deployment Timeline and Scale

Russia’s Ministry of Construction announced a plan to adopt smart resource metering in 2023. That same year, Gazprom Mezhregiongaz began piloting NB-IoT-based systems across several regions. A major milestone came in April 2025 at the Samara 'Heat Generation' forum, where utility digitalization was front and center.

Mass production of SGMs was also ramped up, following a 2023 announcement by Gazprom Mezhregiongaz CEO Sergey Gustov outlining plans for a predominantly domestically sourced device lineup.

Legislative Drivers and Future Outlook

Samara’s project is part of a broader nationwide trend and serves as a replicable model. The roadmap includes expanding smart metering to residential and commercial buildings across Samara and beyond, exporting customized solutions to CIS markets, and integrating gas, electricity, and water data into unified smart city services.

Legislation is quickly evolving to support this shift. In June 2025, a special session of the State Duma’s Energy Committee convened in Nizhny Novgorod to discuss large-scale SGM deployment and safety sensor integration. Experts highlighted SGMs’ potential to reduce losses, improve billing discipline, and enhance safety.

Despite ongoing challenges in regulatory frameworks, installation logistics, and financing, Russia’s technical readiness is not in doubt. Given the current pace of implementation, SGMs could become standard for most commercial users and a large portion of households in pilot regions by 2027.

Partnerships with telecom providers and Unisim technologies support the development of scalable backend-plus-app solutions with strong export potential. The convergence of smart utility services into comprehensive ecosystems is the next logical step.