PITTSBURGH, PA - October 26, 2006
Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and Sensus Metering Systems are partnering to field test the FlexNet system, a full two-way fixed network Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system that delivers hourly reads, which can enable time-of-use pricing options for HECO customers.
“The HECO pilot project will showcase the consumer and utility benefits of the Sensus two-way FlexNet AMI system and our line of iCon electricity meters,” says George Uram, Vice President, Electric Metering and AMI at Sensus Metering Systems, “Hawaiian Electric Company and Sensus Metering Systems share a commitment to customer service, energy management and conservation.”
The FlexNet system offers HECO a network deployment, consisting of the installation of approximately 500 Sensus iCon® residential and C&I “smart” meters with FlexNet transceivers, and two Tower Gateway Base Stations (TGBs) located at two existing radio tower sites.
The FlexNet system is a tower-based AMI network not dependent on any other infrastructure. Sensus unmatched reliability is achieved with FlexNet by overlapping receiver coverage of metering end-points, data/message redundancy, and fail-over backup provisions. The FlexNet two-way communications network provides electric utilities with enhanced capabilities such as on-demand reads, remote demand register reset and remote shut-off.
“One of the outcomes we expect from using the Sensus FlexNet system is having a variety of pricing options to offer customers that will enhance energy conservation efforts,” said Karl Stahlkopf, HECO Senior Vice President, Energy Solutions & Chief Technology Officer. “We expect to also benefit from the distribution automation and load control capabilities of the system.”
In addition to delivering reliable hourly reads of meters and providing new billing and customer service capabilities, the FlexNet fixed network also creates immediate alerts to report exceptions and failures. FlexNet advanced infrastructure features provide HECO and their customers with the highest level of metering data and meter status information available from an AMI system.
More than 500 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the Honolulu area, from the Honolulu International Airport to Diamond Head, will be part of the pilot.
About Hawaiian Electric Company Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and its subsidiaries, Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO) and Maui Electric Company (MECO), provide electricity for 95% of Hawaii’s residents. Established in 1891, Hawaiian Electric remains one of the few locally owned and operated major companies in the state. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.heco.com.
About Sensus Metering Systems
The Sensus Metering Systems companies are leading world-class providers of water, gas, heat and electric meters including comprehensive metering communications system solutions that comprise both automatic meter reading (“AMR”) and advanced metering infrastructure (“AMI”) systems. Additional linked businesses include Smith-Blair, Inc. a leading provider of pipe clamp & coupling products for the water, gas, and industrial markets; and Sensus Precision Die Casting a producer of complex, high quality die castings.
Issued 10/26/2006
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