ATLANTA – March 21, 2006 – Chartwell’s Advanced Metering Summit, set for May 16-17, will feature a first-hand look at LCEC’s new advanced metering infrastructure and other state-of-the-art technologies in place at the Southwest Florida cooperative.
LCEC, with about 185,000 customers, is one of the nation’s fastest-growing electric utilities and among the largest electric cooperatives in both number of members and distribution system size. The Southwest Florida utility began a territory-wide installation of the TWACS® by DCSI advanced metering system in 2002 and will soon finish that deployment. Coupled with a recent customer care and billing system implementation and other customer service technologies in place, LCEC is a proven forerunner amongst utilities in deploying technology to improve customer service.
The third annual Chartwell’s Advanced Metering Summit will be held May 16-17, 2006, at the Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa. Attendees will get an in-person look at LCEC’s two-way power line communications system and hear from LCEC officials about how the application has helped improve system performance and customer service. The site visit will occur on Wednesday, May 17.
“Chartwell is honored that LCEC officials have graciously agreed to host us,” Dennis Smith, vice president of research and information delivery for Chartwell, says. “We know this presentation and tour will be the highlight of two days packed with quality presentations and networking.”
The featured tour will conclude the conference, which is attended by metering professionals from utility companies across North America. In addition to LCEC, attendees will hear presentations on the benefits of advanced metering and data management initiatives from Puget Sound Energy, JEA and Portland General Electric, and have the opportunity to take part in panel and round table discussions on the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the new law’s impact metering and energy pricing, new technologies for meter reading such as broadband over power lines, meter data management and other hot topics.
Sponsoring companies include Cellnet Technology, Distribution Control Systems, Inc. (DCSI), Elster Metering and Tantalus.
For registration information or to learn more about the conference, please visit www.chartwellinc.com/CAMS.cfm, or call (800) 432-5879. Only one sponsorship opportunity remains. For information on sponsoring, call Bill Grist, (800) 432-5879 or email bgrist@chartwellinc.com.
Formerly doing business as Lee County Electric Cooperative, LCEC is a member-owned electric utility serving five counties in Southwest Florida. It has more than 300 employees and 6,000 miles of distribution lines.
Chartwell’s Advanced Metering Summit is organized annually by Chartwell Inc., an Atlanta-based research and information firm focused on providing electric, gas and water utilities and service providers with case studies and analysis on best practices in customer service and energy delivery. Chartwell also facilitates networking amongst utility professionals with its summits, the EMACS Conference and regular audio conferences.
