Benton County Electric System Selects Elster's EnergyAxis As Smart Grid Solution

RALEIGH, N.C., Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Elster announced today that Benton County Electric System (BCES) in Camden, Tenn. has selected the Elster EnergyAxis® Smart Grid solution to deliver an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system, delivering improved operational efficiencies and energy management while enabling the utility to integrate future technologies.

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BCES will integrate Elster's EnergyAxis System to enable network management, control and operation. By deploying EnergyAxis, BCES will be able to collect and analyze the data it needs to improve customer service, and realize operational efficiencies.

"BCES is joining fellow TVA utilities in modernizing electricity management with the implementation of an AMI solution," said Raymond Barnes, General Manager, BCES. "Elster's EnergyAxis is giving us with reliable and field-proven toolkit that will help increase productivity, reduce costs by implementing Time of Use (TOU) rates where appropriate that will result in overall improvement to our bottom line."

"Elster worked with BCES to provide the AMI tailored solution the utility needed to make Smart Grid benefits more tangible for its customers, while ensuring that the system had an ease of use the utility's management desired," said Bruce Russell, director, Smart Grid BU-South, Elster Solutions.

BCES is one of 155 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) power distributors, and an active member of the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association (TVPPA). TVPPA represents utilities who receive power from the TVA, a federally owned corporation providing electricity for nine million people across the southeastern United States.

"Elster's EnergyAxis system continues to serve as the foundation for TVA member Smart Grid projects like BCES. We look forward to supporting the TVPPA's mission to meet Smart Grid initiatives and deliver value to utility customers throughout the Tennessee Valley," Russell added.

The turn-key project is on a three-month deployment schedule with completion planned mid 2013.

About Elster

Elster is one of the world's largest electricity, gas and water measurement and control providers. Its offerings include distribution monitoring and control, advanced smart metering, demand response, networking and software solutions, and numerous related communications and services – key components for enabling consumer choice, operational efficiency and conservation. Its products and solutions are widely used by utilities in the traditional and emerging Smart Grid markets. 

Elster has one of the most extensive installed revenue measurement bases in the world, with more than 200 million metering devices deployed over the course of the last 10 years. It sells its products and services in more than 130 countries across electricity, gas, water and multi-utility applications for residential, commercial and industrial, and transmission and distribution applications.

For more information about Elster, please visit www.elster.com and follow us on Twitter at www.elster.com/twitter.

SOURCE Elster