Iberdrola, Spain's energy group and electricity utility has selected Itron, a provider of smart metering and smart grid solutions, for the first phase of its smart metering program. 

Officials with Itron said that the company will be responsible for the development and integration of a meter management system, including head-end and meter data management software, as well as smart meters.

 

Iberdrola officials said that the implementation of smart meter program is focused on developing a new open and interoperable solution based on the PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution telecommunications protocol.

 

This project will not only support smart metering functionalities but also progress toward the smart grid.

 

The initial deployment will see the delivery of 100,000 meters to the city of Castellon, Spain, with the potential to expand to ten million meters. The first phase of the project is expected to run from July until the end of 2010.

 

According to Itron officials the company will be the supplier of the head-end and meter data management software for this phase of the project, along with other manufacturers that will also supply PRIME-compliant smart meters.

 

Company officials said that Itron's solution offers a data infrastructure that will allow Iberdrola to optimize network management, reduce operational costs and enhance its quality of service for the benefit of consumers.

 

'Itron is delighted that its industry expertise and project experience will help lay the foundation for a state-of-the-art smart metering architecture in Spain,' said Marcel Regnier, chief operating officer, Itron, in a statement.

 

Regnier said that Itron offers a high-performance, scalable and future-proof system that will allow Iberdrola to manage a seamless evolution to large-scale deployment.

 

"We are confident that this project will showcase the benefits of Itron's smart metering solutions to both Iberdrola and its customers,' he said.

 

Itron is a technology provider to energy and water industries.