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Push toward smart meters leaves AMR in the dust, Chartwell report reveals
ATLANTA – March 11, 2009 – The utility industry is transitioning from more primitive forms of automation to smart meters, as one area is expanding and the other contracting, according to Chartwell’s latest state-of-the-industry advanced metering infrastructure survey and report.
Automated meter penetration from drive-by meters to the most sophisticated two-way units – grew only about 6.5% in 2008, the slowest growth rate Chartwell has measured in a one year period. However, the number of installed smart meters rose by nearly 43% in the same span.
Chartwell believes as electric utilities push forward with smart grid initiatives, generally automated meter reading (AMR) is no longer a consideration. Chartwell projects smart meter penetration to grow significantly in the coming years – there are currently 27 million electric smart metering endpoints under contract, and 20 million more are likely to follow.
These findings and others are revealed in the Chartwell AMI Report, 13th Edition, an annual publication that gauges the status of metering technologies within the utility industry, while identifying emerging trends. It is based on exclusive surveys of metering officials at more than 100 North American utility companies.
The report includes data analysis in some of these key areas:
· Anticipated growth of smart meters and overall automation;
· Status of smart grid-enabled, in-premise devices, including in-home displays (IHDs), smart thermostats and distributed generation;
· Status of smart grid-enabled time-dynamic rates;
· The status of meter data management implementations; and
· Much more.
The Chartwell AMI Report, 13th Edition, is available only to members of Chartwell’s metering research and information series. The Metering Research Series includes approximately six annual research reports, monthly news reporting and analysis and other publications. For additional information on this Chartwell research series, please contact Chartwell at utility.info@chartwellinc.com or at (800) 432-5879.
Press Contact
Mark Hall
mhall@chartwellinc.com
404.237.9099, Ext. 27
