SPOKANE, WA, Sept. 27, 2005 -- Itron Inc. has implemented its fixed network automatic meter reading (AMR) technology for Newmarket Hydro, Ontario, Canada, with the help of Olameter, an independent meter service company.
Olameter has an agreement with Itron to provide Newmarket Hydro with data collection services using Itron's Fixed Network radio system. Newmarket, located midway between downtown Toronto and Barrie with a population of 71,000, was interested in advanced metering but wanted to avoid upfront costs and ongoing maintenance fees, and looked to Olameter to provide metering services for a pilot project.
Olameter is reading electricity, gas and water meters using Itron's Fixed Network for three utilities in the region -- the only system of its kind in Ontario to read all three types of meters using one network.
The Olameter/Newmarket deployment is one of five ongoing Itron Fixed Network AMR pilot projects in Ontario, where utilities are studying solutions that will ultimately help the Province conserve energy. The others include Wasaga Distribution, Inc, Hydro Ottawa Limited, Bluewater Power and Toronto Hydro. New requirements expected later this year from the Ontario Energy Board include requiring utilities to collect electricity usage data more frequently, and to offer programs which enable customers to respond to time-sensitive pricing, especially during periods of peak loads.
"Outsourcing reduces the amount of capital we need up front, and reduces our risks," said Paul Ferguson, president of Newmarket Hydro. "We wanted to have the latest technology in advanced metering and our source provider, Olameter, looked to Itron to meet that need."
"Utilities are facing growing peak demand, revenue constraints and new regulations -- industry leaders are seeking a new, smarter approach to run operations," said Jan Peeters, CEO of Olameter. "By deploying Itron smart meters in this pilot project, we will be able to demonstrate that Itron's fixed network solution will support upcoming requirements to collect electricity usage data much more frequently."
As an industry leader, Itron has developed and deployed a number of hardware and software solutions that enable advanced rate plans to be implemented.
"We are seeing more and more Canadian utilities investigating technology for advanced meter data collection to improve operations and manage growing demands," said Scott Owen, vice president of hardware sales for Itron Canada. "Our solutions are flexible, low risk and cost effective. We have the experience, trust and knowledge to help Ontario's utilities operate more efficiently as we have worked with many of them since 1907."
Newmarket covers 38 square kilometers (14.2 miles) in the heart of York region, midway between downtown Toronto and Barrie. The town of Newmarket has a population of 71,000-plus and still growing.
Olameter (www.olameter.com) is a leading independent meter service company in North America, currently servicing 2.5 million meters of all types and complexity at residential, commercial, and industrial sites located across 130 communities. Olameter offers a full range of telemetry and back-office systems to utilities (electric, gas, water), including billing, AMR, data collection, aggregation and automated site management services.
Itron (www.itron.com) is a leading technology provider and critical source of knowledge to the global energy and water industries. More than 3,000 utilities worldwide rely on Itron technology to provide the knowledge they require to optimize the delivery and use of energy and water. Itron creates value for its clients by providing industry-leading solutions for electricity metering; meter data collection; energy information management; demand response; load forecasting, analysis and consulting services; distribution system design and optimization; web-based workforce automation; and enterprise and residential energy management.
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