Smart grid technology firms Itron Inc. and Tantalus struck a smart metering deal with the U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (VIWAPA).
The two companies will deploy their joint smart meter solution for the utility, installing an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) communications network with Itron advanced meters for its more than 55,000 electric customers throughout the islands of Saint Croix, Saint John and Saint Thomas.
This project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), will leverage multiple communication technologies through the fully integrated TUNet — Tantalus Utility Network — platform with Itron AMI-ready meters, which will facilitate the use of advanced applications such as automated metering, remote service disconnect/reconnect, revenue protection and demand management.
This project represents a portion of VIWAPA’s long-range capital improvement initiatives to address challenges in improving electrical operational efficiency, modernizing network infrastructure, managing demand costs and improving revenue protection.
The utility will initially use high return TUNet applications such as real-time meter reading, billing reconciliation and tamper/theft detection. Integrations with systems such as GIS, OMS and MDM will support the implementation of future applications such as in-home consumer energy management tools and demand management. VIWAPA will use the newly released TUNet-enabled CENTRON II electric meters for their deployment.
VIWAPA’s deployment is the first Caribbean joint project between Tantalus and Itron since the two companies announced an alliance in late 2011. VIWAPA joins the rapidly growing domestic and international Itron-Tantalus customer base which includes utilities like Appalachian Electric Cooperative (AEC), Inland Power & Light (IPL) and Guyana Power & Light (GPL).
