Aclara, a supplier of smart infrastructure technologies to water, gas and electric utilities globally, has won a contract with its engagement by Missouri American Water to provide, install and service its Synergize STAR Network for Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) in St. Louis County, Mo.
Missouri American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.5 million people.
The contract, which will provide services to approximately 340,000 homes and businesses throughout the region, adds to Aclara’s roster of achievements in the marketplace for smart infrastructure solutions (SIS). It follows the December acquisition of GE’s electric meters operation and the awarding in February of a contract by Consolidated Edison Company of NY Inc. and Orange and Rockland (O&R) Utilities Inc.—both regulated operating companies of Consolidated Edison Inc.— to supply electric smart meters that will connect 3.9 million customers in an AMI project covering New York City as well as Westchester, Orange and Rockland counties.
“Aclara is pleased that a growing number of water, gas and electric utilities around the country have selected us to provide advanced metering infrastructure to optimize operational efficiencies and enhance customer engagement. In addition, the project is significant on several fronts. Not only is it important in its own right; it is especially meaningful to Aclara as we are headquartered in the heart of Missouri American Water’s market,” said Allan Connolly, president and CEO of Aclara.
“We have been on an aggressive growth trajectory over the past year, effectively doubling in size and significantly increasing our capabilities with the acquisition of the meters business in December 2015. At the same time, we have also invested in the best talent and expanded our R&D efforts to develop new smart infrastructure solutions and ensure ongoing improvement in our existing technologies,” he added.
Aclara’s wireless Synergize STAR network, which will be deployed by Missouri American Water, combines the Aclara fixed-network system with integrated applications and professional services that enable utilities to access up-to-date data and translate them through analytics to maximize overall system performance.
By laying the groundwork to better understand system-wide water consumption, the Synergize STAR network enhances Missouri American Water’s ability to engineer and update its water system and ultimately will help the company improve its ability to accurately measure water consumption by reducing estimated bills. It also improves efficiency by eliminating the need to manually read meters of Missouri American Water’s residential and business customers in St. Louis County.
Source: Aclara
