SparkMeter Signs Two New U.S. Utility Contracts to Deliver Grid Modernization Software Amid Critical Infrastructure Challenges

Cuivre River Electric Cooperative and Rochester Public Utilities implement SparkMeter's data-driven grid-enhancing software to ensure energy resilience in the Midwest

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SparkMeter, a provider of grid management services and solutions that increase access to reliable electricity globally, announced two new contracts with Midwest utilities Cuivre River Electric Cooperative (CREC) and Rochester Public Utilities (RPU). A signal of SparkMeter's growing presence in the U.S., the agreements provide CREC and RPU access to its AI-ready Praxis platform and GridScan and GridFin software to improve grid data management, operational reliability, and energy supply costs.

Grappling with aging and underperforming electric distribution infrastructure, the Midwest is home to one of the world's largest energy markets. According to the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), an estimated $100 billion is needed for new grid infrastructure in the Midwest to meet utilities' decarbonization goals while managing surging demand from new data centers, electric vehicle (EV) charging, and manufacturing expansions. To keep costs under control and protect vulnerable energy assets from extreme weather events and thermal overloads, utilities are turning to grid-enhancing software from SparkMeter.

Missouri's largest electric cooperative, CREC, is committed to improving power quality and reducing outage frequencies and durations for its 70,000 members. Facing rising energy supply costs, CREC is partnering with SparkMeter to automate aspects of its financial operations. Currently, CREC and many utilities in the U.S. hire consultants every 2-3 years for Cost of Service estimates to recommend changes to its rate structures. With SparkMeter's GridFin software, CREC can keep a closer eye on its electricity costs, leveraging on-demand data to make key decisions to keep costs under control or simulate bill impacts from changing their rates.

Rather than incurring the cost of investing in intensive distribution upgrades like larger transformers to accommodate rising demand, CREC will use SparkMeter's GridScan software to assess existing transformer performance and move overloaded transformers to areas of lower demand and move underutilized transformers to an area of higher demand.

"SparkMeter's GridScan and GridFin solutions have contributed tremendously to improving our operations. We only wish we had SparkMeter's innovative grid technology 20 years ago to enhance reliability and improve economics for our members," said Doug Tracy, CEO & President of CREC. "We are taking our partnership with SparkMeter to the next level to support our growth as a leader in the energy industry and enable us to better serve our members."

In Rochester, Minnesota, where prominent institutions in the healthcare and technology sectors play a significant role, the local utility is partnering with SparkMeter to manage the growing data demands as it transitions from automated meter reading (AMR) technology to advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). Now with visibility into the power supply and consumption habits of its 60,000 electric and 42,000 water customers, RPU can make data-based decisions about its rates and the relocation and resizing of transformers without the need for time-consuming manual work or months-long waits for consultant reports.

"Much of our day-to-day work involves manual data input and manipulation from multiple team members. SparkMeter's solutions will enable our team to streamline manual processes, allowing us to reallocate resources to work that is more valuable and meaningful to our ratepayers," said Phil Teng, IT Manager at RPU.

"The traditional approaches to grid management can't keep pace with today's challenges," said Tim McCollough, General Manager of RPU. "SparkMeter's platform combines our disparate systems' data into actionable insights to allow us to align our rate structures with actual costs and make data-driven decisions on infrastructure investments."

"Operating within the complexity of the energy landscape today, U.S. utilities are in desperate need of new approaches to manage surging demand and rising costs," said Dan Schnitzer, CEO and founder of SparkMeter. "SparkMeter is dedicated to helping utility providers across the U.S. unlock new capabilities using a fundamental ingredient: better data management. With our AI-driven data engineering platform Praxis, our utility customers can obtain a 360-degree view into their grids using data from smart meters, SCADA systems, and their existing software like CIS, GIS, and Engineering Analysis, to become more proactive and improve their decision-making capabilities."

About SparkMeter
SparkMeter is a global gridtech provider that helps utilities modernize, maximize and monetize their assets. Through its AI-driven platform Praxis and its industrial IoT applications, GridScan and GridFin, SparkMeter identifies underperforming assets, automates labor-intensive activities and suggests new strategies that increase utilities' bottom lines. SparkMeter is supported by world-class investors, technology partners and global organizations, including: Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Honeywell Smart Energy, AWS, Mission 300, Power Africa, and more. For more information, visit https://www.sparkmeter.io/.

SOURCE SparkMeter