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From Coverage at Smart Grid Blog

Itron has selected Accent to supply a developed integrated circuit for its OpenWay CENTRON smart meter product line.

The design will integrate ARM Cortex-M3 processor technology, a complete ZigBee wireless solution (RF, baseband and protocol stack), as well as an LCD driver and on-chip embedded flash memory to deliver best-in-class performance, highly reduced BOM and lowest system cost.

Powerful processing capability combined with broad range analogue, digital and RF hardware peripherals will enable a single processor core solution for communication, control as well as user application software, thus eliminating the need for multiple processors while significantly reducing power consumption, the company explained.

From Itron Press Release

Itron announced today that it has entered into a joint marketing and development agreement with Arcadian Networks. The relationship combines the expertise of Itron, a leading provider of end-to-end smart grid solutions including smart meters and software, with Arcadian Networks’ secure, enterprise-wide broadband communication solutions for smart grid applications.

“This collaboration enables Itron and Arcadian to offer utilities a complete smart grid communication solution including integrated operations and backhaul communications for our advanced meter infrastructure and smart grid solutions. Arcadian’s SMART Network Methodology reflects their focus on providing smart grid communications solutions tailored specifically to the needs of the utility industry,” noted Philip Mezey, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Itron North America.

Arcadian Networks Chief Executive Officer Ed Solar added, “We look forward to joining forces with Itron to complement their leadership in smart grid solutions. Arcadian’s strength as the market forerunner dedicated to meeting the stringent security and unique operational needs of utilities is a natural fit with Itron’s expansive smart grid offerings and capabilities.”

From meterpedia submission, and existing map data

Full deployment of significant programme started in September 2009 for Southern California (except Los Angeles).

5.3 million meters using less than 200kW.

Topography of supply points is mostly suburban with very few ‘rural’ sites.

http://www.sce.com

http://www.sce.com/smartconnect

SmartConnect Program

Edison SmartConnect™ is SCE’s advanced metering program. The program has redefined the automated metering industry, and is a key component of Edison’s Smart Grid strategy, which brought Edison’s grid into the digital age for improved grid management operations.

Through advanced technology, Edison SmartConnect™ will provide SCE customers with new tools, services, and conveniences to help them make better about their energy use. The new “smart” meters will enable new pricing programs, and will provide customers with more information their energy use to help them save energy, money and reduce their carbon footprint.

Why? California’s peak energy use continues to grow. As a result, state energy agencies and are exploring ways to meet customers growing energy needs and offer incentives to conserve and shift usage away from periods of peak demand.

In 2004, the Commission (CPUC) directed  (IOUs) to investigate implementation of an advanced metering infrastructure (“AMI”). AMI “smart” meters would allow customers to take advantage of dynamic rate programs, such as the “Time of Use” (TOU) rates available mostly to industrial customers. SCE analyzed available AMI technology at that time, and concluded that the limited functionality and operational benefits available at the time would not be cost-effective for SCE’s ratepayers. So, SCE set out to work with and technology vendors to develop a more advanced meter and communications system that would offer a cost-effective solution with added customer value and convenience. The result is SCE’s AMI network called Edison SmartConnect™.

Meter Functionality

SCE’s new “smart” meter and communications system will provide customers with more information  their energy use, and with advanced tools and services to help them save energy, save money and reduce their carbon footprint. For example, “smart” meters will:

• Communicate personalized energy use information to customers through a secure wireless home area network and on the Web, helping customers make smarter energy decisions that will translate into savings.
• Enable new rate offerings to help customers save money by using less energy during peak periods and when energy prices are higher.
• Communicate with “smart” thermostats, appliances, electronics and solar panels in the home – pretty much anything you can plug in – enabling the programming of smart appliances and devices to respond to energy use preferences based on cost, comfort and convenience.
• Give customers the convenience of remote service turn-ons. If a customer is moving, for example, they no longer need to leave gates open, worry about pets, or wait for a field service representative.

Communications Technology

SCE’s research and analysis support the narrowband decision as the best option to support a wide variety of functionality and ensure the program is cost effective for it’s customers. Here’s why:

While higher bandwidth seems appealing, it is not only more costly, but will provide wasted capacity. Simple data, not large data files, will be sent to and from the meter requiring no more than a narrowband connection. Energy pricing information will be sent via the narrowband connection.

Customer’s real-time energy usage and power quality information from the meter will be available securely over a narrowband wireless network.

The Edison SmartConnect™ communications system was designed to provide full program functionality and high-performance with a narrowband connection from the meter to the aggregation point, and a broadband connection from the aggregation point to the utility. The system was also designed for growth and flexibility to support advanced technology, prevent it from becoming “outdated” and result in long-term benefits for our customers.

Partners

Itron’s OpenWay AMI solution has been selected, and all meters will feature ZigBee connectivity for the HAN.

Secondary meter supplier to be selected.

January 2008 Interview with SmartConnect Leader

Jan 08 – Long web article/interview with the Director of SCE’s programme – key points:

• Have selected Itron Open Way for communication backbone
• Looking for non-Itron meter to use Open Way to maintain open approach
• Have selected HAN/local ZigBee platform, as fits best with requirements
• Considered 6loPAN, but believe it will not be ready for deployment in 2009 – states that 6loPAN could be flashed onto ZigBee chips in the future
• Every meter includes a switch to support potential prepayment services from 2013 – with bulk of functionality in the back office, but also to support demand management and improve outage and safety features

National Grid, the USA’s second-largest utility, has selected Itron to participate in development of an operational proof-of-concept (POC) lab at the utility’s Smart Grid Technology Centre in Syracuse, N.Y. for testing of Itron smart metering/smart grid technology.

Itron plans to demonstrate total end-to-end responsibility for the foundational elements critical to National Grid’s vision of tomorrow’s smart grid.

Press release

From googlemap and  press releases

Working with SmartSynch to install up to 45,000 residential and 6,000 business smart meters using the municipal Wi-Fi. Using smart water meters from Itron, electricity meters featuring Trilliant communications modules.

Overall ‘smart grid’ budget is $70 million.

Using eMeters EnergyIP as MDM, and may use EnergyEngage as the home portal/display solution.

Have applied for $20m in stimulus grants to support the project.

From googlemap

Malaysian electricity utility serving peninsular Malaysia. Programme to install 90,000 AMR Itron Enterprise Edition meters for Commercial and Industrial Customers.

From googlemap

20 month programme to install 400,000 Itron Centron meters for all residential and non-domestic electricity customers in the republic.

$250m project, starting mid November 2007 and running through to Nov 2009

Jan 08 Update – 5,000 meters installed, plan to complete all remaining installations by year end

From Old Site

Replacing all electricity meters and adding modules to gas meters.

Functionality:
- ZigBee Chips in all electricity meters
- hourly residential interval (15 minutes for commercial)
- remote connect/disconnect in 200amp meter, programmable load limiting switch
- includes HAN functionality

For gas the modules will provide daily gas readings.

Update Feb 2009
SDG&E previously had expected to install about 700,000 of Itron’s OpenWay meters by the end of 2009, starting in February. But now SDG&E has scaled back to installing 50,000 meters between March and August and about 200,000 meters by the end of 2009

From old site

eMeter’s EnergyIP MDMS will be used to capture 15 minute usage data provided by the smart meters and route home area network commands. The new metering technology is a key step in CenterPoint’s upgrading of its electric system to a Smart Grid. It will encourage greater energy conservation by giving Houston-area electric consumers the ability to better monitor and manage their electric use and cost in near real-time. CenterPoint Energy has conducted extensive testing and has seen excellent results from smart metering technology through a pilot deployment of smart meters that began in late 2006. EnergyIP has been used in that initial deployment. EnergyIP will also provide outage and restoration event services to support the CenterPoint Energy’s Outage Management System as well as electric service connection and disconnection, which should reduce the time required for customers to have new electric service connected or to switch REPs.

Itron announced that the start of full field deployment began on March 1 2009 for its OpenWay smart metering solution at CenterPoint Energy’s electric transmission and distribution utility. Itron’s recent initial shipments of OpenWay devices will eventually culminate in 2.4 million smart meters being installed by early 2014.

OpenWay residential and commercial smart electricity meters and accompanying wide area network relays were successfully tested using Itron’s enhanced security architecture based on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC). The system’s encryption and key management appliances successfully secured end-to-end messages from the OpenWay Collection Engine down to end devices on the OpenWay system.

The system is also utilizing multiple open standards, such as IP, SOA, XML, WSDL, American National Standards Institute C12.22, ZigBee, and GPRS, to enable strong, secure communications and integration. Itron’s commitment to a standards-based approach ensures CenterPoint Energy’s system is fully extensible to support additional security mechanisms the industry may require in the future.

From Google Alert

Glendale Water & Power customers will soon be able to track how much electricity and water they use in real time under a major $28.5-million plan approved Tuesday by the City Council.

The so-called smart grid has been hailed as the greatest advancement Glendale Water & Power has seen in the past 80 years and will include the installation of more than 100,000 advanced electric and water meters. After they’re installed, the meters will allow two-way communication with the utility and will for the first time provide customers with real-time usage data.

With the contract approved, Itron will begin development of an Advanced Metering Infrastructure/Meter Data Management System, or AMI/MDMS, for the city, which will be used to operate the new meters.

Once the meters are installed, customers will be able to view their electricity and water use online and will eventually be able to purchase in-home displays to view the data streams.

The change will allow the utility to develop a “smart” rate structure, especially for the more volatile electrical market, officials said. Customers could eventually be rewarded with lower rates for electricity used during non-peak hours, Steiger said.

The advanced meters are scheduled to be installed by early 2011.

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