Silver Spring Networks has partnered with metering service provider Metrix to deliver smart metering-as-a-service to retail energy providers.
The first joint deployment between Silver Spring and Metrix will be for Counties Power, a lines company serving more than 37,000 customers in New Zealand’s North Island. Counties Power is leveraging Silver Spring’s Gen4 networking technology for smart metering and smart grid deployments. In New Zealand’s disaggregated energy market, lines companies oversee energy distribution, while energy retailers are responsible for deploying smart meters to end customers.
Metrix, a division of Mighty River Power, has deployed more than 330,000 smart meters in the greater Auckland area and is expanding into other areas to meet the increasing demand.
Counties Power and Metrix will partner to use Silver Spring’s networking platform and UtilityIQ software to deliver smart metering-as-a-service to their energy retailer clients. Counties Power is also expected to utilize Silver Spring’s platform to enable faster outage detection and restoration. On the demand side, Counties Power’s customers will be able to take greater control of their electricity consumption and their bills through the latest smart grid technology. The joint Silver Spring and Metrix deployment with Counties Power is scheduled to begin in late 2013.
Recently, Silver Spring Networks partnered with Sunrise Technologies, a manufacturer of street lighting photocontrols for utilities. Silver Spring’s networking platform will be integrated into Sunrise Technologies’ utility-grade light control module for luminaire energy measurement.