Burbank Water and Power Deploys Smart Grid Leveraging Siemens' Expertise and eMeter's Technology

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Siemens Energy, Inc. announces that Burbank Water and Power (BWP), the provider of water and electricity to Burbank, California, residents and businesses, has completed its installation of the eMeter EnergyIP meter data management system (MDMS). Siemens provided software, installation, configuration and commissioning services for this project. This is the first joint deployment of this MDMS by Siemens and eMeter Corporation. The two companies are now working on six joint deployments.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20070904/SIEMENSLOGO )

The first phase of this project was a true meter-to-cash project. The meter reads are validated, estimated and edited within the MDMS before being converted into billing determinants.

"Siemens is proud to announce that our initial implementation of eMeter EnergyIP was on time and on budget. Our rigorous project planning and skilled staff worked closely with the BWP implementation team to reach this important milestone," said Paul Camuti, President, Siemens Smart Grid Applications.

Long-time supporters of exploring new technologies, BWP sought a MDMS to support current and future applications and business processes enabled by advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), system monitoring and load control programs. Coupled with Siemens project management methodology, the MDMS offered a flexible, service-oriented architecture (SOA), allowing BWP to integrate these cutting-edge technologies.

"Siemens and eMeter's commitment toward working hand-in-hand with the BWP delivery team was instrumental to the success of this project," said Joanne Fletcher, BWP Assistant General Manager/Customer Service & Marketing. "The MDMS is a key piece in the foundation of our Smart Grid strategy and we look forward to realizing the benefits of this deployment as Smart Grid technologies evolve and we are able to offer our customers more choices and more control over how they use their resources."  

"eMeter worked closely with Siemens to ensure a successful and timely deployment for BWP," said Gary Bloom, CEO at eMeter. "eMeter EnergyIP will ultimately empower Burbank residents to make smart energy consumption decisions."

Siemens is now working with BWP on the next phase of their MDM project, which will include the ability to respond to service requests, inquiries and interruptions more quickly than current technology allows.

Siemens understands the complete energy conversion chain and is able to transform today's grid into a living infrastructure that is smart enough to respond quickly, flexibly and comprehensively to society's energy needs. Siemens also incorporates solutions for commercial and industrial applications as well as smart homes, including building automation, IT systems integration, advanced lighting technology and energy efficient appliances for a comprehensive Smart Grid solution.

The Siemens Energy Sector is the world's leading supplier of a complete spectrum of products, services and solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power and for the extraction, conversion and transport of oil and gas. In fiscal 2010 (ended September 30), the Energy Sector had revenues of approximately EUR25.5 billion and received new orders totaling more than EUR30.1 billion and posted a profit of more than EUR3.6 billion. On September 30, 2010, the Energy Sector had a work force of more than 88,000. Further information is available at: www.siemens.com/energy.

About Burbank Water and Power

Burbank Water and Power has been providing water and electricity to Burbank's citizens and businesses since 1913. We are a well-run organization that is willing to explore new technologies and opportunities for our community. BWP has a proud tradition of investigating and investing in forward-thinking projects. These projects include using our City's naturally occurring landfill gasses to create renewable electricity, installing a solar water heating system for the McCambridge Park pool, and building the state-of-the-art Magnolia Power Plant. For more information, please visit www.burbankwaterandpower.com.

About eMeter

eMeter provides essential software that enables electric, gas and water utilities to realize the full benefits of Smart Grid. Leading utilities worldwide depend on eMeter Smart Grid Management software to reduce operational costs, improve customer service, and drive energy efficiency. With the most large-scale deployments in the industry and strategic partnerships with Accenture, IBM, Logica, and Siemens, eMeter has built a reputation for unparalleled expertise that ensures customer success. For more information visit: www.emeter.com.

SOURCE Siemens Energy, Inc.