Elster Electricity, LLC

Elster Electricity is an industry leader in the development of smart meters and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) systems. In 2003, Elster Electricity released the EnergyAxis® System—a comprehensive AMI solution for residential, commercial, and industrial electricity metering applications. Additionally, water meters covered by the electricity meter communication infrastructure can be read and billed, or monitored for leakage. The EnergyAxis System uses a powerful two-way RF communication system to retrieve metering information directly from meters. The system enables utilities to not only deploy automated meter reading (AMR) systems, but also gives utilities many additional tools to improve business operations.

Improving Billing Cycle Services

The EnergyAxis System is capable of two-way communications with AMR functionality integrated into the meter instead of using meter add-on devices. It is comprised of a controlled mesh network made up of meters that communicate to other meters within the system using multi-hop, repeating, and self-registering technology.

The system uses smart REX® meters for residential metering, and the A3 ALPHA® meter for commercial and industrial needs. Additionally, an A3 ALPHA meter collector is used to collect data from the meters on the local area network. Elster's Metering Automation Server is the backbone of the system and controls the wide area network of A3 ALPHA meter collectors. Utilities have the flexibility to collect energy, demand, time-of-use (TOU), or interval data from meters for billing on both their normal billing schedules and on demand. Water meters transmit information to any electricity meter that receives its signal. This enables utilities to utilize one system and network for billing both electricity and water.

The system further supports new rate studies by allowing utilities to turn on and turn off interval data collection at particular metering points. This enables a utility to save operational expenses by eliminating the need of deploying interval recorders for load studies.

Improving Distribution Planning

By integrating the value of metering data points with traditional distribution planning functions, utilities can better plan transformer maintenance or capacitor bank controls. Voltage readings can be monitored at each meter to determine if there is a problem with the power distribution system or if upgrades and improvements to the system are needed.

Providing Utilities with Flexibility to Offer More Choices

The system gives utilities the flexibility to support various time-differentiated rates, both today and in the future. The system is capable of supporting time-of-use (TOU), critical peak pricing (CPP), and near real-time pricing (RTP) without changing the meter or communication infrastructure. Utilities can remotely program meters to retrieve the necessary information on defined schedules.

Aiding Revenue Assurance

The system aids in revenue assurance by providing the capability to disconnect a customer's electricity with an integrated disconnect switch within the meter. Utilities can trigger a service disconnect from the head-end system. Furthermore, the system retrieves information on meter tampering and outage counts to detect issues with potential tampering. The ability to receive summed energy, delivered and received, ensures a utility will be aware of actual usage even when tampering has occurred.

Mark L. Munday CEO and President, Elster Electricity, LLC

Company Facts

• Owned by: CVC Capital Partners (a 16.8B Euro company)

• Employees worldwide: 3,600

• Incorporated: Delaware

• Locations: Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., with operations in 22 countries

• Customers: Customers served in over 108 countries

• Products: ANSI and IEC electricity meters, wired and wireless communication products and infrastructure, and IT systems

• Years in electricity metering business: 111 years

• Web site: www.elsterelectricity.com