Liberty Lake, Wash., September 29, 2011 — Itron Inc. is pleased to support the French government's decision to roll out smart meters, generally referred to as "Linky" meters, to all French consumers.
If selected, Itron is ready to meet the challenges of such a massive installation in France following its successful participation in the pilot project conducted by ERDF, the largest French Distribution System Operator, in 2010 and in 2011. During the pilot project, Itron delivered 100,000 meters and 3,500 concentrators.
About 7 million Linky smart meters will initially be deployed in France between 2013 and 2014, followed by an additional 28 million between 2015 and 2018.
As part of the pilot project conducted by ERDF, Itron made investments amounting to nearly $11 million in its research, development and manufacturing facilities.
The deployment of smart meters is an indispensable component in forming an electric smart grid. As such, the Linky meter will make it possible for consumers to gain a better understanding of their actual consumption in a simplified manner, and will also allow ERDF to more effectively manage the French electricity network.
