DLMS UA Launches ACESM GCP Edition 1.1 Certification Program, Marking New Era for Smart Meter Interoperability

One-sentence summary: DLMS User Association has officially launched the ACESM GCP Edition 1.1 compatibility qualification program, establishing a clear migration path from IDIS Package 3 while China advances DLMS/COSEM OBIS standard revisions and gas smart meter profiles reach official release.

Source: DLMS UA Official Announcement (May 2026); SAC Standardization Administration of China; DLMS UA Generic Companion Profiles

DLMS UA ACESM GCP Edition 1.1: The New Benchmark

On May 27, 2026, the DLMS User Association (DLMS UA) officially launched the ACESM GCP (AC Electricity Smart Meter Generic Companion Profile) Edition 1.1 Compatibility Qualification Program. This marks a significant milestone in smart meter standardization, reinforcing DLMS UA's leadership in driving robust, scalable, and future-ready interoperable frameworks.

Key features of ACESM GCP Ed. 1.1:

• Full backward compatibility with IDIS Package 3, establishing a clear migration path as its official successor
• Industry-recognized certification trademark for products that pass compatibility testing
• Official listings on dlms.com ensuring market transparency and visibility
• Available for download by DLMS UA members and purchase by non-members

"Interoperability must move beyond claims to demonstrable, testable performance," stated DLMS UA. The ACESM compatibility certification provides exactly that—a trusted benchmark for verified compatibility and consistent implementation of DLMS-based solutions across global markets.

Gas Smart Meter GCP Released

DLMS UA has also released the Gas Smart Meter Generic Companion Profile (GSM GCP), providing a common framework for secure, reliable, and interoperable data exchange between gas smart meters and head-end systems based on DLMS/COSEM.

The first edition covers nine key use cases: basic services, clock synchronisation, malfunction and fraud detection, dynamic tariffs, load profiling, supply management, installation and commissioning, and more.

China Advances DLMS/COSEM Standard Revisions

China's Standardization Administration (SAC) is actively advancing national standards aligned with DLMS/COSEM protocols:

STS and DLMS/COSEM Convergence

The Standard Transfer Specification (STS) Association continues advancing the convergence of proven prepaid token technology with modern smart metering frameworks. The STS standards suite now includes:

• IEC 62055-41: STS meter functionality
• IEC 62055-51: STS numeric token carrier
• STS 101-2: STS token transfer over DLMS
• STS 201-2: STS attributes COSEM interface class
• IEC 62056-5-3: DLMS application layer protocol

This convergence enables utilities to deploy modern AMI systems while preserving investments in STS-based prepaid infrastructure, particularly critical for African and South Asian markets where prepaid metering dominates.