GridSense™, an Acorn Energy Company, Provides The Industry's First 500kV High-Voltage Inspection Camera

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- GridSense™, an Acorn Energy (NASDAQ: ACFN) company that develops and markets advanced monitoring solutions for the electric power industry, has evolved the first wireless camera designed for inspection of high-voltage assets rated up to 500kV. The hotstick-mountable, high-resolution HighV Camera™, with its accompanying 7" Android tablet, was introduced in 2013 for inspecting high-voltage assets, but initially carried a lower phase-to-phase voltage rating.  That rating has now been increased, making it the first camera to enable safe, close-up inspection of assets rated to 500kV phase-to-phase.

"The HighV Camera™ now provides a major advantage to utilities," says HighV Product Manager Jeff Benach. "They can mount both the camera and the Android viewing pad on a hotstick and inspect energized 500kV equipment—everything from live power transformers and bushings, to contacts and connections, right down to name plates and serial numbers to enable repairs. The days of having to take an outage for close-up inspections above 275kV are over.

"With the new higher voltage rating," adds Benach, "the HighV Camera™ can now serve as a standard substation maintenance tool, simplifying and speeding-up fault-finding and root cause analysis.  For instance, substation technicians often need an up-close view of switch contacts.  They can now obtain this without an outage.  Also, the HighV perfectly complements the standard infrared camera.  Those devices can identify a hotspot and the HighV Camera can zoom in for full color close-ups of the area in question.  We think utilities will quickly come to view these capabilities as must-haves."

The HighV Camera™ rated to 500kV fills the utility industry's need to safely examine energized, substation-level high-voltage assets in great detail. Taking outages to examine such equipment is extremely costly and time-consuming.  "The industry interest in this new solution has been fantastic," Benach says. "We're already receiving orders wherever we show it.  There's clearly an unmet need out there.  As awareness of the HighV Camera™ grows, so will demand."  

About GridSense

GridSense is a smart grid technology company dedicated to providing innovative, practical and cost effective monitoring solutions to the electric power industry. Utilizing in-depth industry knowledge and understanding of utility requirements, we provide technology and services that help the industry address the limitations of old and aging infrastructure. We apply experience and technical know-how with new insight and ideas to create intelligent, reliable and leading edge technologies that add value to our customers and shape the future of the modern electrical power system. For more information visit (www.gridsense.com).

About Acorn Energy, Inc.

Acorn Energy, Inc. is a holding company whose four portfolio companies help their customers achieve greater productivity, reliability, security, and efficiency—factors which can lead to greater profitability.  GridSense provides monitoring for all critical points along the electricity delivery system. OMNIMETRIX remotely monitors emergency back-up power generation systems to increase their reliability. US Seismic supplies fiber optic sensing solutions to increase oil/gas production and lower costs. DSIT provides security solutions from underwater threats to naval and marine based energy assets. For more information visit: http://www.acornenergy.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. There is no assurance that Acorn Energy, Inc. or its operating companies will continue to grow their respective businesses, or that any of them will meet the expectations or execute the initiatives described or referred to above. A complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties which may affect Acorn Energy's business generally and the businesses of its subsidiaries is included in "Risk Factors" in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed by Acorn Energy with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

GridSense Contact: Leonce Gaiter 
Tel: 916.372.4945  
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE GridSense