Itron Inc. has successfully installed a new generation of meter reading software for walk-by and drive-by meter reading operations at Dayton Power & Light, located in Dayton, Ohio.
Itron Field Collection System (FCS), built on Web services architecture, provides utilities with flexibility, scalability and functionality to run Itron handheld and mobile meter reading systems. FCS will be commercially available beginning in November 2005.
Meter readers can upload routes four times faster than many of the meter reading applications in use at utilities today, ensuring critical reads are delivered on time for bill processing. In addition, FCS improves route reading times and meter reader efficiency by reducing the time needed to extract load profile data from large commercial and industrial accounts. FCS also incorporates new field service functionality into the same device, which enables utilities to achieve further productivity gains by allowing meter readers to complete service work orders while reading monthly routes.
FCS enables DP&L to deliver both increased productivity in the field and in the meter reading offices while greatly simplifying IT requirements to support the system.
“Upon full deployment of Itron FCS, we will consolidate our stand-alone meter reading systems across our utility offices into one system, enabling us to run more efficiently,” said Maria Bubp, operations manager for DP&L. The utility uses both Itron handheld and vehicle-based computers to collect data from its 500,000 electricity meters.
“This advanced architecture, combined with FCS’s enhanced functionality, has enabled Dayton Power & Light to make a significant leap forward in our meter reading operations,” she added.
