Landis+Gyr has announced 13 new contracts this year for Gridstream PLX, its next generation power line carrier (PLC) advanced meter network.
The new contracts bring the total number of utilities deploying PLX technology to 24 since the system was released at the end of 2012. These contracts represent a long-term potential upgrade of 450,000 metering endpoints.
"The excitement around Gridstream PLX shows that there still is a demand for PLC-based networks among many utilities," said Randy Edwards, Director of Product Management at Landis+Gyr. "And because PLX runs on the same head-end operating software as our Gridstream RF network, utilities are able to blend the technologies where it makes the most business sense."
In addition to advanced metering, Landis+Gyr is developing a load management solution for the PLX platform that will use the latest load management software for demand response applications. New products also in development include meter options for ANSI markets outside North America.
Gridstream PLX builds on Landis+Gyr's previous PLC offerings to deliver increased data capacity and functionality for today's smart grid networks. PLX provides utilities with 15-minute interval data from each meter on a continuous basis. The expanded channel capacity also enables remote updating of module firmware, and expanded memory allows storage of 60 day's worth of information at the endpoint.
Similar to Landis+Gyr's legacy PLC systems, PLX provides the advantage of unsolicited outage notifications, distribution line monitoring and time-synched "snapshots" of demand or voltage levels across the entire system.
Gridstream is Landis+Gyr's smart grid platform that delivers advanced metering, grid automation and consumer energy management capabilities to utilities worldwide. The solution integrates a number of communication technologies – including RF mesh, PLC and cellular – under a single head-end operating platform to give utilities the best technology fit and value for managing and controlling energy distribution systems.
