Tennessee's Bolivar Energy Authority has selected a smart grid solution to deliver an advanced metering infrastructure system, delivering improved operational efficiencies and empowering its electric customers to better manage energy usage and lower energy costs.

BEA services more than 11,000 households and businesses in the utility's service area. Elster's smart meters will be installed by BEA at residential and commercial locations with a project completion date of September 2012.

Elster's EnergyAxis and smart meters will enable BEA to modernize its electric infrastructure and provide customers with clear pricing and usage information, enabling customers to better manage, monitor and control energy consumption and costs.

BEA 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 U.S.

Using Elster EnergyAxis, BEA is rolling out advanced metering and communications technologies to provide more customer information and future payment options (prepay), giving the utility's consumers greater control of their energy use and costs. BEA is the seventh TVA power distributor to partner with Elster as part of the TVA's move toward delivering improved operational efficiencies to customers. Elster will work with its partners CalAmp, ElectSolve, WESCO and Apex CoVantage on the BEA Smart Grid deployment.