Tonga Power Limited to use Itron smart grid technology to manage
energy supply
LIBERTY LAKE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), a world-leading technology and services
company dedicated to the resourceful use of energy and water, announced
today that it has reached an agreement with Tonga Power Limited (TPL)
for OpenWay Riva technology. TPL will deploy the solution to more than
20,000 TPL customers on Tonga's main island of Tongatapu in the South
Pacific Ocean. OpenWay Riva will enable holistic energy management with
TPL's significant renewable integration and optimize network
communications with adaptive communications technology. TPL will utilize
Itron services to manage and maintain the network.
As a part of its smart island goals, Tonga will soon generate more than
half of its electricity by renewable means such as solar power. Using
OpenWay Riva, Tonga can monitor and manage the integration of renewable
energy into the electric grid, ensuring grid reliability and energy
security. In addition, TPL plans to use the solution to maximize revenue
protection and help manage customer disconnects and reconnects remotely.
Combining radio frequency mesh and power line carrier communications on
the same chip set, the OpenWay Riva technology enables dynamic selection
of the optimal communications path based on network operating
conditions, data attributes and application requirements. With adaptive
communication capabilities, deployment of network infrastructure is
easier, faster and less costly. It also greatly reduces the amount of
time and effort needed for upfront network design and propagation
studies.
The OpenWay Riva solution being installed at TPL includes OpenWay Riva
smart meters, Cisco Connected Grid Routers as well as back-office data
collection software, including Itron's meter data management, collection
engine and reporting software and Cisco's IoT Field Network Director.
Installation of the solution will be complete by the end of Q4 2015.
After installation, Itron will also provide TPL with managed services
for overall system management and maintenance of Itron's cloud-based
services for data collection.
"OpenWay Riva truly addresses our needs at TPL. As a nation with limited
energy resources and a large demand for prepayment based metering, we
required a solution that can enable us to better manage our electricity
in an efficient manner while meeting our smart grid needs both now and
into the future. Itron's OpenWay Riva does just that," said Robert
Matthews, chief executive at TPL.
"OpenWay Riva will help Tonga realize its vision of becoming a smart
island," said Alan White, Itron vice president of sales, marketing and
delivery for Electricity in the Asia-Pacific at Itron. "By implementing
a modernized, intelligent network, TPL will be able to manage their
electricity supply while protecting revenues and reducing losses. Itron
is proud to be a part of this project, and we look forward to helping
TPL achieve its vision."
About Itron
Itron is a world-leading technology and services company dedicated to
the resourceful use of energy and water. We provide comprehensive
solutions that measure, manage and analyze energy and water. Our broad
product portfolio includes electricity, gas, water and thermal energy
measurement devices and control technology; communications systems;
software; as well as managed and consulting services. With thousands of
employees supporting nearly 8,000 customers in more than 100 countries,
Itron applies knowledge and technology to better manage energy and water
resources. Together, we can create a more resourceful world. Join us: www.itron.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150806005363/en/
Itron, Inc.
Sharelynn Moore, 509-891-3524
Vice
President, Corporate Marketing and Public Affairs
sharelynn.moore@itron.com
Source: Itron, Inc.
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