Accelerating AMI in the Azores

Through a partnership with Globaleda, Itron recently completed an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) pilot with EDA in the Azores, an archipelago of nine islands located in the north Atlantic Ocean. EDA provides electricity to over 100,000 customers in the Azores islands, an autonomous region of Portugal.

The pilot included the installation, reading, training and hosting of residential electricity meters on Itron’s GenX RF mesh network. The solution also includes UtilityIQ, a headend software suite that includes applications designed to help utility operators collect and manage AMI meter consumption data.

This will equip EDA with a reliable AMI system capable of providing meter readings and charge diagrams as well the ability to quickly identify shortages. Itron’s electricity meters will automatically provide usage data to EDA’s billing software, resulting in a more efficient process and improved customer service.

Collaborating with Globaleda and EDA in the Azores islands on this electricity meter pilot provides the opportunity to extend the technology to their full fleet of meters and continue to improve network control. We hope that the pilot’s success in the unique topography of the Azores can be a reference for similar projects on other islands in Southern Europe and around the globe.