Marietta cost-effectively migrating from one-way AMR to two-way AMI with TUNet
RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 25, 2015 — Tantalus, provider of TUNet®, an award-winning smart grid enterprise communications and applications platform, announced today that it is partnering with Marietta Power and Water, Georgia’s largest municipal utility serving more than 45,000 electric and 17,000 water and wastewater customers, for the implementation of a fully-automated, two-way smart grid solution. TUNet is increasing the return on investment (ROI) of Marietta Power’s existing Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI) ERT® (encoder receiver transmitter) AMR technology by remotely collecting and processing electric, water and gas readings in near-real time with a hybrid IP and wireless-based AMI network. Within months since deployment began, Marietta Power is now remotely collecting meter readings from more than 36,000 electric and water ERT devices through TUNet, translating into significant economic benefit from streaming consumption data across the organization, reducing field visits and reducing operational costs associated with manual metering.
“We reached a point in our smart grid strategy where we were ready to take the next step from basic meter reading to advanced applications that drive measurable ROI,” said Ron Mull, General Manager for Marietta Power and Water. “For Marietta Power and Water, the most favorable path forward was to utilize as much of our existing investments in ERT technology as possible, while moving to a more real-time network that could support applications such as voltage monitoring, remote disconnect and outage management. We set a goal to implement AMI to improve our operating performance and reliability through integrated advanced applications, and we’ve been pleased to see that Tantalus has proven capable of matching our pace in both technology implementation and support.”
Marietta Power will be able to fully automate the remote collection of daily and interval electric and water meter readings by overlaying its service territory with a low-maintenance and cost-effective TUNet system while upgrading less than ten percent of its installed meters. The utility also plans to leverage a number of advanced data-driven features delivered through TUNet, such as improved water leak detection. Additionally, TUNet is integrated with existing billing interfaces, allowing the utility to leave current billing processes and meter reading routes unchanged.
“Tantalus is pleased to partner with Marietta Power and Water as they build out a multi-application platform capable of supporting their immediate needs while also planning for the future,” stated Peter Londa, President and CEO for Tantalus. “Marietta Power will leverage Tantalus’ integrated distributed computing capability, which is embedded in TUNet endpoints, to remotely read ERT devices while supporting enhanced data analytics and future applications such as distribution automation and load control. This unified strategy is delivering benefits from streamlined operations, improved customer service and quantifiable value from investments in AMI – a top tier priority among public power utilities.”
Marietta joins more than 20 municipal and cooperative utilities, including Garland Power & Light (TX), Coldwater Board of Public Utilities (MI) and Piedmont Municipal Power Agency (SC), who are now implementing this unique, low capital cost ERT-reading technology which enables a migration from existing AMR to AMI and advanced applications. These utilities represent just a fraction of the significant installed base of ERT technology deployed throughout the United States.
About Tantalus
Tantalus provides a two-way, multi-purpose platform that enables access to data to power advanced 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 enhanced value across all utility departments through solutions such as automated metering, outage management, power quality monitoring, load management, and distribution automation that are both cost-effective and practical to deploy throughout urban and rural service areas. For more information, please visit www.tantalus.com.
