Customer information systems for deregulated ASEAN countries

In similar fashion to western countries, ASEAN countries are also gearing up towards deregulation. Despite potentially different motivating drivers, the ultimate objectives are free market competition leading to efficient pricing signals as well as providing customers with the freedom to choose their electricity provider and benefit from competitive prices. This paper provides an ASEAN electricity market analysis and describes the development of electricity deregulation in ASEAN countries. By way of background it also highlights the objectives of deregulation, the potential challenges and also the impact areas focusing on existing Customer Information Systems (CIS) that have been developed by other utilities. In addition, this paper proposes a new framework for improving CIS for ASEAN utilities facing deregulation. The framework outlines a CIS, which has intelligent features enabling the utility to estimate and predict customer behaviour with respect to consumption patterns. It describes how these features can assist the utility companies to retain their existing customers as well as attract more customers.