Landis+Gyr has signed an agreement with Oulu Energy in Finland for the delivery of the Landis+Gyr Gridstream smart metering solution and smart metering hardware. The deal is one of the largest of its kind in Finland, and rollout will take place between 2011 and 2012.
The introduction of smart metering systems by Finnish utilities is in full swing, after national legislation on billing and smart metering came into force in spring 2009. Utilities are now preparing to meet the requirement that 80 percent of households be equipped with smart metering by the end of 2013.
The agreement between Landis+Gyr and Oulu Energy covers meter reading services of 90,000 metering points for seven years. The deal also includes the delivery of 62,000 new smart meters, as well as communications and integration to Oulu Energy IT systems. Landis+Gyr is responsible for the solutions planning and installation project. The service agreement covers also the existing 28,000 smart metering points, which were also delivered by Landis+Gyr.
The EU recently released its Energy Infrastructure Package, which cites the expedited rollout of smart metering as a key step in achieving its 2020 goals. Smart meters and power grids are highlighted as the key to realizing the full potential for renewable energy and energy savings, and as essential to the smooth functioning of the European energy market and to the security of energy supply.
