Anderson Municipal Light and Power Commits to Aclara TWACS Technology Advanced Metering Infrastructure for Reading Electric Meters

ST. LOUIS, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Anderson Municipal Light and Power has announced plans to implement the TWACS power-line communications system from Aclara Technologies LLC to read electric meters. The utility will employ the system to reduce costs and improve service to the almost 60,000 residents of Anderson, Ind., a city about 25 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Aclara® is a leader in Intelligent Infrastructure solutions and part of the Utility Solutions Group of ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ESE).

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The utility will implement a TWACS advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) upgrade to offer Anderson customers more control in lowering their electric bills. The TWACS upgrade being implemented allows customers to track electric consumption, helping them identify and cut back on expensive areas of usage.

TWACS technology offers a green alternative to monthly meter reads, providing billing data at one-hour intervals to the utility and allowing the utility to get a more detailed picture of how its customers use electricity. Data provided by the TWACS AMI solution will allow Anderson Municipal Light and Power to better understand patterns of usage and identify programs that can reduce system peaks and keep costs low. Meters on the TWACS system can also be connected automatically, allowing the utility to eliminate costs related to rolling trucks.

"Aclara's TWACS technology will give Anderson Municipal Light and Power more flexibility in instituting programs that will help customers save money," said Mayor Kevin S. Smith. "For example, an additional benefit from TWACS is that the utility eventually could institute prepay systems with no additional fees, giving customers more choice in determining how their electricity is delivered."

Six years ago the city entered into a guaranteed savings program using Aclara's STAR® Network solution to read the City's 25,000 water meters. Since installation of Aclara's STAR Network system, Anderson's water department has significantly improved the accuracy of its water-meter readings and has virtually eliminated inaccurate estimated reads during winter months when meter pits are covered with snow. Now the water department gets 98.5 percent of its reads every month.

About Aclara

Aclara® represents the industry's leading intelligent infrastructure technologies for providing device networking, data-value management, and customer communications to water, gas, and electric utilities globally. Over 500 utilities in nine countries rely on proven Aclara solutions to connect with their customers. Aclara Technologies LLC is part of the Utility Solutions Group of ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ESE), St. Louis. Create Your Intelligent Infrastructure™ www.Aclara.com.

About Anderson

The city of Anderson is a continuously growing community strategically located in the Midwest, 20 minutes from the I-465 hub (I-65, I-74, I-70, I-69). Here in Anderson we offer world class municipal utilities: city owned electric; fiber optics system; broadband internet, top university programs, and increasing quality of life programs made possible through our competitive economic development department.  Anderson is also proudly the home to the Indianapolis Colts' Training Camp held annually at the Anderson University campus.  Please visit www.cityofanderson.com for more information. 

SOURCE Aclara