Metering News

Kx Systems was selected to provide its kdb+ database to Ontario, Canada’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to support the retrieval and querying of smart meter data processed by Ontario's meter data management and repository (MDM/R) system. Kx Systems’ relational database management software will be utilized to support MDM/R data retrieval, processing and analysis. In Ontario, the central MDM/R provides a common platform for processing, storing and managing all hourly smart meter data in the province.

Utility Partners of America (UPA) installed nearly 40,000 digital electric meters on behalf of Spokane, Washington-based Inland Power & Light (Inland P&L). UPA is providing complete installation services including a work order management system (WOMS), workflow development, a customer information system (CIS) interface and data and inventory management. The meters will provide Inland P&L with diagnostics that will help improve power quality, increase ways to optimize the electrical system and pinpoint outages.

Inland Power & Light (IPL) selected a Tantalus-Itron solution for public power to provide AMI and smart grid services for the approximately 39,000 members in its cooperative in eastern Washington and northern Idaho. The fully integrated TUNet platform will serve as the core foundation for IPL to deploy Itron meters to facilitate the use of advanced applications such as automated metering, interval meter data collection, prepay, and power quality management.

AEP Ohio, a subsidiary of American Electric Power, named Apex CoVantage as its installation partner for the upcoming, system-wide AMR deployment. In this role, Apex will provide upgrades to electric meters throughout the utility's service territory. Leveraging ProField, Apex's proprietary ERP system for mobile workforce optimization, AEP Ohio will gain full control and visibility over operations. AMR meters are being introduced to the AEP Ohio service territory in an effort to increase reading percentages and enhance data security.

Landis+Gyr established an agreement with CPS Energy to supply advanced residential electric meters for the utility's grid modernization effort. Landis+Gyr will provide 700,000 E-350 FOCUS advanced meters with shipments beginning early in 2014. The meter upgrade project is anticipated to take four years. In addition to metering technology, Landis+Gyr is operating a direct load control program at CPS Energy. The utility is using virtual peak plant software and load control devices from Landis+Gyr to verify and measure energy savings from conservation events.

Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) selected the EnergyAxis advanced metering infrastructure and EIServer meter data management systems from Elster Solutions for the first phase of their smart meter deployment. EnergyAxis enables meter data collection, analysis, reporting, and network management for all three services using a single head-end system. This simplifies system management, and reduces the total cost of ownership.

CenterPoint Energy’s natural gas distribution business will install Itron advanced metering technology across the utility’s six-state service territory by the end of 2015. Communication modules to nearly 1.3 million gas meters have already been installed in parts of the company’s service territory in Minnesota, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas. Upon project completion, 3.3 million communication modules will be installed in these states as well as Arkansas and Mississippi.

Echelon and its partner Kapsch Smart Energy won several key pilots with leading Austrian utilities Wien Energie, IKB and Steiermark. The pilots are being prompted by a new energy edict in Austria that requires utilities to achieve specific grid modernization goals by 2019. The Echelon NES platform is operating as a fully integrated solution with the Kapsch smart energy management meter data management software.

British Gas announced a deal worth £600 million for Landis+Gyr to supply the majority of the 16 million smart meters British Gas will install in its customers' homes. By 2020 smart meters will be rolled out as standard to homes and businesses across the country as part of a government initiative.  

As part of its 10-year, $2.6 billion grid modernization program, ComEd began installation of more than 4 million smart meters throughout its service territory. ComEd expects to install 60,000 smart meters by the end of 2013. The full deployment will be complete in 2021.