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.
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CONTACT:
Itron, Inc.
Sharelynn Moore, 509-891-3524
Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Public Affairs
sharelynn.moore@itron.com
