Tantalus Systems, a provider of smart grid communications technology, announced that People’s Energy Cooperative, an electric cooperative utility in Minnesota with 23,000 members, has selected Tantalus Systems to support its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI).
The utility, with the help of Tantalus, is deploying a hybrid IP-based network to support the AMI.
The new wireless RF AMI network will leverage best-in-class signal range and unparalleled frequency agility to serve as a powerful platform to support advanced functionality including remote meter disconnects, pro-active outage notification and prepay metering, the company said.
Tantalus’ smart grid enterprise platform, TUNet includes embedded distributed computing capability, utilizing a multi-core, Linux-based operating system with 32MB of memory in every communications module.
People’s Energy Cooperative recently expanded its membership by 50 percent through the acquisition of a service territory from an investor-owned utility in Minnesota. This has resulted in unprecedented influx of new members. An aging power line carrier system further precipitated the need to move ahead in our smart grid strategy.
Michelle Olson, director of Member Services, said, “We decided that by gaining access to more timely and accurate energy data, we could implement operationally efficient applications and provide beneficial energy management tools directly to our membership.”
People’s Energy joins Tantalus’ clients in the Midwest region including Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power (IN), Laclede Electric Cooperative (MO), Northeastern REMC (IN) and the City of Cameron (MO).
Rajani Baburajan