Landis+Gyr is Selected by CoServ Electric to Provide Advanced Metering and Smart Grid Technology for the Utility's eCoGrid Initiative

ATLANTA, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Landis+Gyr announced it has been selected by CoServ Electric to provide advanced metering and smart grid technology for the utility's eCoGrid initiative. CoServ Electric will deploy Landis+Gyr's Gridstream™ technology that supports advanced metering, distribution automation and personal energy management applications, and will bring two-way communications capabilities to the utility's more than 150,000 electric meters.

Located in Corinth, TX, CoServ Electric is an electric cooperative that serves six North Texas counties. The utility plans to begin installing Gridstream RF advanced meters in March 2011, with an anticipated project completion date of 2013.

"Our eCoGrid project will provide operational efficiencies to reduce costs, streamline operations, improve system reliability, and eventually offer members new technology to monitor and reduce energy usage in their homes and businesses," said Mike Dreyspring, President and CEO of CoServ Electric. "By partnering with Landis+Gyr, we are adopting a platform for smart grid applications that will deliver value to both the utility and our members."

CoServ Electric currently offers a variety of resources to help members reduce energy usage, including free energy audits. Earlier this year, CoServ Electric accepted a $17.2 million grant from the Department of Energy to support the eCoGrid initiative, which will allow the utility to offer additional rates, programs and energy efficiency options to its members.

"With Gridstream, utilities get a single technology platform for energy and infrastructure management," said Jeff Carkhuff, General Manager of Middle Market Systems at Landis+Gyr. "We are excited to partner with CoServ on this important smart grid project that will help their members manage energy better."

Landis+Gyr's Gridstream RF technology uses a powerful radio mesh network to communicate with meters and distribution devices, such as monitors and switches. Gridstream devices use the Smart Energy Profile standard to communicate with smart appliances and in-home devices. Additionally, these devices support industry leading, standards-based security throughout the network. This technology is currently being deployed to millions of residential and commercial sites across the United States.

About Landis+Gyr

Landis+Gyr is the leading provider of integrated smart grid and energy management systems tailored to energy company needs. With a global presence and a reputation for quality and innovation, Landis+Gyr delivers true end-to-end advanced metering, distribution automation and personal energy management solutions. Today, the company is paving the way for the next generation of smart grid. With annualized sales of more than US$1.25 billion, Landis+Gyr operates in over 30 countries across five continents, and employs nearly 5,000 people with the sole mission of helping the world manage energy better.

About CoServ Electric

As a cooperative, CoServ Electric is different. We're local – deeply embedded in our community. CoServ Electric is proud of its outstanding customer service to 130,000+ members with homes and businesses across North Texas. CoServ Electric has maintained rate stability for members over the years by providing power as close to cost as possible. Customer satisfaction scores have been consistently higher than our major competitors since we began participating in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Surveys show that members currently rate CoServ Electric at an 8.4 on a scale of 1-10 – proof that the cooperative business structure delivers reliable energy at a great value with outstanding customer service.

SOURCE Landis+Gyr