Elster is expanding its deployment of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) solutions, leveraging cellular point-to-point communications to enable customer support for electric vehicles.

Elster's EnergyAxis system now enables both mesh and cellular point-to-point capabilities in a single head-end system, allowing utilities to manage all of their endpoints in one seamless solution.

The point-to-point solution uses the same head-end system and operates in parallel with other communication technologies which support applications such as remote meter reading, load control, asset monitoring, loss and theft detection, outage management, dynamic pricing, conservation voltage monitoring and remote on and off services.

Cellular point-to-point solutions provide utilities with the flexibility needed for targeted smart grid deployments throughout their service areas, providing capabilities and applications to all customers in advance of, or as part of, a full smart grid deployment.

As part of Dominion Virginia Power's demonstration of AMI technologies, Elster's EnergyAxis solution is now providing AMI solutions beyond the utility's demonstration areas to include support for the company's EV rate-based pilot that is being offered throughout its service territory. Using the same head-end system, the electric vehicle solution will operate in parallel to the demonstration areas, which are designed to help validate the utility's business case.