Texas-New Mexico Power To Deploy SmartSynch Meters

SmartSynch, Inc., a smart grid technology company utilizing standard IP communications via public wireless networks, announced that Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP) will deploy 231,000 of its smart meters to residential customers.

This will mark the first mass residential deployment of smart metering solutions that use a public wireless network as the communications backbone, SmartSynch said. The company says using these networks allows for delivery of smart grid technology to homes across multiple geographies–from dense, urban cities to remote, rural communities–at lower cost and with greater flexibility to incorporate new technology in the future.

TNMP is owned by PNM Resources (NYSE: PNM). The company filed a formal request for the smart meter roll-out to the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) on May 26, 2010.

TNMP said its decision was propelled by the performance of SmartSynch’s initial 10,000 unit deployment in 2009, during which a 99.96% average daily read rate was achieved across multiple Texas geographies. The deployment supported the collection of billing reads, remote service connect/disconnect capabilities and real-time event alarm notification.

The new 231,000 unit deployment also will enable TNMP to monitor and identify trends on customer usage data in 15-minute intervals, expand capabilities to support energy management, and provide a Home Area Network (HAN) communications gateway enabling retail energy providers to manage demand response and energy efficiency activities.

TNMP customers will gain the ability to monitor and regulate electricity usage via the Internet and home devices. SmartSynch’s technology will also help TNMP provide faster and safer response to customer service requests and power outages, while reducing its meter reading, work order costs and overall carbon footprint resulting from lower truck use.

“The service, reliability, speed and ease of deployment, and performance we experienced during the trial surpassed our expectations, and made this an easy decision,” said Neal Walker, vice president, Texas Operations for TNMP. “In the last 12 months, we have consistently achieved a near-perfect, uninterrupted read rate regardless of where the SmartSynch SmartMeter units were deployed. Additionally, public wireless networks offer the greatest bandwidth available–enabling fast, secure and scalable functionality at a price competitive with any available alternative.”

Stephen Johnston, SmartSynch’s CEO said commercial wireless carriers now realize the growth opportunity, and have radically reduced their pricing to make hosting smart grid solutions more cost effective than mesh network solutions.

SmartSynch has been the only provider of standard, IP communicating end-to-end smart grid solutions utilizing public wireless networks for the utility industry since 2000.

The company’s products and services include SmartMeters™ and SmartBoxes™ that immediately IP-enable the grid; software solutions; and network management services for utilities and their customers; as well as clean-tech companies in need of remote communications and control functionality for products ranging from solar panels to plug-in hybrid vehicles.