Echelon Corp., the premier energy control networking solution provider worldwide, and ELO Sistemas Eletronicos, one of the largest meter manufacturers in Brazil, announced that the Parintins City Project, ELO’s deployment of a 3,400 unit pilot installation with Eletrobras, is nearing completion. This massive utility is one of the largest in Latin America, serving over 3 million customers. The solution ELO has provided for this project consists of a dual mode smart meter that communicates over power line or by radio frequency through Echelon’s proprietary Multipurpose Expansion Port (MEP) feature. Echelon’s contribution to the project came in the form of smart sensor and metering sub-systems to ELO, leveraging its proven Energy Control Networking Platform.
The Parintins City Project is a part of a pioneering blueprint to improve the quality of life for Eletrobras’ customers in the Amazon region. Echelon’s smart meters will serve as sensors within the distribution network, to enable detection and immediate intervention in the event of a power failure or line tampering. Eletrobras will use the gigantic amounts of data gathered from smart meters, such as time consumption and cost per kWh at particular times of day, to encourage consumption during off-peak hours by altering rates throughout the day. ELO plans to deploy another 12,000 smart meters as part of the project by the end of 2013.
“We are excited to provide ELO with the solution that enables a grid modernization path for Eletrobras,” said Michael Anderson, senior vice president, Worldwide Markets, at Echelon. “Delivering safe, reliable energy is the main mission of the smart grid, and utilities like Eletrobras with grid modernization projects lead the way for other Brazilian cities and towns.”
The project is located in Parintins, a city on an island in an isolated portion of the grid, which will allow monitoring of system performance from generation to distribution and provide customer with status to this new technology. To integrate the entire area, meters with both PL and RF communications were required to reach all customers. Another technical requirement was to secure the information and sense any tampering, as this territory has one of the highest rates of non-technical losses, largely because enforcement is difficult. To date, 3,400 meters have been installed and the project is meeting its goals of reduced technical and commercial losses, increased security and improved quality of service.
“Meeting or surpassing the Eletrobras Parintins project goals for reduced losses and improved quality of service has been extremely satisfying,” said Marcos Rizzo , vice president of Business Development of ELO. “Parintins will be the first Brazilian city with 100% of the customers with a smart meter installed. Echelon and ELO are able to offer the Parintins project unmatched flexibility and time to market advantages based on the industry standard Open Smart Grid Protocol (OSGP).”
For further information, please visit www.elonet.com.br, or www.echelon.com
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