Tennessee Utility Selects Tantalus for Smart Grid Network

Sept. 10, 2008
Pulaski Electric System (PES) has selected TUNet – the Tantalus Utility Network – for its Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) communications system, which is at the heart of its Smart Grid program.

Pulaski Electric System (PES) has selected TUNet – the Tantalus Utility Network – for its Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) communications system, which is at the heart of its Smart Grid program. PES is an electric utility located in southern Tennessee that serves 15,000 electric customers and 5,000 Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) customers of PES Energize.

The Tantalus communications system gives Pulaski the option to use either its existing high-speed FTTH network or 220 MHz RF for two-way, real-time data transport. This allows PES to drive additional value from its FTTH as well as extend Smart Grid functionality to outlying areas of the community via the wireless TUNet wide area network.

TUNet is an end-to-end WAN/LAN/HAN data communications system that operates with both RF and IP-based networks including FTTH, Fiber, WiFi, WiMAX and GPRS/cellular. WAN options can be used individually or be combined to meet a utility’s economic, coverage and redundancy needs. The 900 MHz LAN enables a utility to precisely monitor consumption and power quality, automatically pinpoint outages and energy losses in real time, and remotely manage meters and other apparatus, even in challenging urban, rural and industrial environments. It is Smart Grid technology that provides the data needed for timely billing, optimal system performance and progressive conservation initiatives including load shedding and customer signaling via the Web or an in-home display so that consumers can make informed decisions on when they purchase energy.

Pulaski is a growing rural community with an aggressive economic development focus. Situated midway between Nashville, Tennessee and Huntsville, Alabame, it attracts residents seeking a small town way of life combined with modern conveniences such as high-speed internet. As Tennessee's oldest municipal electric system – and the first in the state to receive power from Tennessee Valley Authority – PES has achieved a well deserved reputation in providing customers with top tier service through the use of new technologies.

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