Texas-New Mexico Power has selected SmartSynch’s Residential SmartMeter solution for a 231,000 unit point-to-point deployment to residential customers throughout the utility’s Texas market. This will mark the first mass residential deployment of smart metering solutions that use a public wireless network as the communications backbone. Such networks allow the utility to bring efficient, secure smart grid technology to homes across multiple geographies – from dense, urban cities to remote, rural communities. TNMP filed a formal request to the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) on May 26, 2010.
TNMP’s decision was propelled by the exceptional performance of SmartSynch’s initial 10,000 unit deployment in 2009, during which an unprecedented 99.96% average daily read rate was achieved across multiple Texas geographies. The deployment supported the collection of billing reads, remote service connect/disconnect capabilities and real-time event alarm notification. The SmartSynch solution was used to perform the first remote move-in and move-out service requests in the state of Texas.
This new 231,000 unit deployment will enable TNMP to monitor and identify trends on customer usage data in 15-minute intervals, expand capabilities to support energy management, and provide a Home-Area Network communications gateway enabling retail energy providers to manage demand response and energy efficiency activities. TNMP customers will gain the ability to monitor and regulate electricity usage via the Internet and home devices. SmartSynch’s technology will also help TNMP provide faster and safer response to customer service requests and power outages, while reducing its meter reading, work order costs and overall carbon footprint resulting from lower truck use.
