TUNet’s near real-time data delivery capability enabling state-of-the-art EPB Operational Analytics
RALEIGH, N.C., and CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., May 19, 2015 — Tantalus, a leading provider of smart grid solutions for municipal and cooperative utilities, and Chattanooga Electric Power Board (EPB) have announced that performance results from the utility’s TUNet AMI deployment, which was completed in 2013, effectively make the eastern Tennessee utility the most reliable and fastest AMI system in North America. Since deployment began in 2010, EPB reports that TUNet has utilized the city’s existing state-of-the-art fiber optic network to deliver highly accurate 15-minute interval consumption data 96 times each day from more than 175,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers back to the utility control center at reliability rates approaching 99 percent. This demonstrated ability to deliver large quantities of near real-time interval data at superior reliability levels is a distinctive feature of the TUNet network, which, unlike many competitive systems, is not limited to the delivery of batched AMI data just four to six times daily.
“When we began our smart grid deployment five years ago, we envisioned leveraging the power of connected applications, data analytics, and real-time control of every device on our distribution network,” said David Wade, executive vice president for EPB. “That vision has come to life during the last five years. The Tantalus TUNet hybrid network, working with our fiber network, delivers an astonishing amount of data that enables us to proactively anticipate and respond to distribution system issues before they become a problem for our customers. Our investments enhance customer satisfaction and electric grid reliability while contributing to Chattanooga’s economic growth.”
“EPB has long been a utility leader in recognizing the crucial role that technology adoption plays in creating a highly intelligent grid that can support a multitude of applications designed to improve operational efficiency,” stated Peter Londa, president & CEO for Tantalus. “Tantalus is proud to play an integral part in this effort to increase operating system reliability and customer service through the delivery of our TUNet multi-application utility platform, which has proven that it is up to the task of exceeding EPB’s highest standards of performance, flexibility and reliability.”
Tantalus recently announced the availability of new enhancements to TUNet that ensure a cost-effective migration from one-way AMR to two-way AMI for electric, water and gas utilities. The company continues to rapidly expand its customer base of municipal and rural cooperative utilities across North America and the Caribbean.
About Tantalus
Tantalus provides a two-way, multi-purpose platform that enables Smart Grid applications for monitoring and control of electric, water and gas municipal and cooperative utilities. TUNet® – the Tantalus Utility Network – is an award winning end-to-end WAN/FAN/LAN/Grid Edge communications system that utilizes IP-based networks including Fiber, WiMAX and cellular as well as 220 & 900 MHz wireless RF. TUNet is purpose built for the Smart Grid and unites utility applications through distributed computing capability embedded at every endpoint. The result is near real-time advanced metering, outage management, power quality monitoring, load management, and distribution automation applications that are both cost-effective and practical to deploy throughout urban and rural service areas. For more information, please visit www.tantalus.com.
About EPB
In 1935, the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee established EPB as a nonprofit agency to provide electric power to the greater Chattanooga area. Today, using a 100% fiber optic network as its backbone, EPB has built a next-generation electric system that includes communication capabilities designed to reduce the impact of power outages, improve response time and allow customers greater control of their electric power usage. This same fiber optic backbone is allowing EPB to offer high-speed Internet, TV and phone service to business and residential customers community-wide. In September 2010, EPB became the first company in the United States to offer one gigabit-per-second Internet speed to the entire service territory.
