BURLINGTON, MA--(Marketwire - October 21, 2009) - KEMA (
www.kema.com) is assisting the City of
Glendale, California with its implementation of an
advanced metering infrastructure and
meter data management system (AMI / MDMS). The project is a first step in
Glendale Water & Power's smart grid roadmap.
Glendale Water & Power (GWP) will be replacing all of its electric meters,
which serve over 100,000 customers, with
smart meters enabled with
two-way communications, and automating
their 35,000 water meters to communicate over a secure wireless network.
The new smart metering infrastructure and data management system will
support home area networks (HAN) to communicate with home appliances;
heating; ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; pool pumps; and
in-home energy displays. Customers will also have Internet-accessible
portals to view their electric and water usage.
"AMI / MDMS is a transformational effort that is redefining the
way utilities interact with their customers,
improve operations and leverage detailed service point information within
the organization," said Rob Wilhite, senior vice president, KEMA, Inc.
"Ultimately, the GWP Smart Grid Project will connect customers to the grid
in new, more dynamic ways. When fully implemented, customers will be better
enabled to make sustainable energy use choices and manage their utility
costs -- all while supporting a more reliable distribution system and
reducing greenhouse gas emissions."
With full installation planned for completion in 2011, GWP customers will
have access to timely energy and water use information that will help them
to better manage their consumption and utility costs. The new AMI / MDMS
system will have the flexibility to integrate enhanced and new advanced
grid capabilities, as they become available or feasible for integration. In
addition to technical modernization and
smart grid capabilities, the
project will enable GWP to make ongoing improvements in customer service,
service reliability, and revenue management.
Through its project management role, KEMA is proving technical assistance
and support to the GWP smart grid development team in implementing the AMI
/ MDMS system. Areas of expertise and advice that KEMA is providing
include:
-- project management and documentation
-- administering and reporting any federal or state grant funds received
-- disaster recovery planning
-- defining and conducting system-level testing
-- system and integration requirements, analysis and design
-- change management
-- training and knowledge transfer
-- realizing system benefits enterprise-wide
-- customer outreach and education.
KEMA also assisted GWP in its application for up to $20 million in US
Department of Energy AMI-Smart Grid grant funding under the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to help
implement the AMI / MDMS project and smart grid development.
About KEMA
Founded in 1927, KEMA is a global provider of business and technical
consulting, operational support, measurement and inspection, testing and
certification for the energy and utility industry. With world headquarters
in Arnhem, the Netherlands, KEMA employs more than 2,000 professionals
globally and has offices in 20 countries. KEMA's US subsidiary, KEMA, Inc.,
is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts and serves energy clients
throughout the Americas and Caribbean.
About Glendale Water & Power
Glendale Water & Power (
www.GlendaleWaterandPower.com) is the City of Glendale's utility. Glendale Water & Power provides
water to 33,400 customers in Glendale, California. The city-owned utility
also generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to 84,500
residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
Contact Information: KEMA media relations contacts (www.kema.com/press_releases):
Americas and the Caribbean:
Kristen Brewitt
tel +1 781 418 5714
Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific:
Rolf van Stenus
tel +31 26 3 56 2607
GWP Media Relations contact:
Atineh Haroutunian
(818) 548-3381