CenterPoint Energy Completes Itron Smart Meter Roll Out

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash.—September 28, 2012—Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI) announced today that CenterPoint Energy, Inc.'s (NYSE: CNP) electric transmission and distribution subsidiary, CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, LLC, (CenterPoint Energy) has completed the installation of more than 2.2 million Itron smart meters. Itron's smart meters are part of CenterPoint Energy's smart grid initiative, designed to give consumers more control over their energy consumption and in the future, support improvements in electric reliability and power restoration.

With Itron's smart grid solution, CenterPoint Energy has seen an increase in operational efficiency by virtually eliminating manual meter reading and service order work saving time, fuel and money. For example, the company is now electronically reading all meters daily at a 99.5 percent accuracy rate. With remote disconnect/reconnect capabilities and automation of routine service transactions, CNP has avoided more than 3.5 million truck rolls, or service visits by field service representatives, since August 2009. Earlier this summer, CenterPoint Energy performed 20,000 connect/disconnect service orders in a single day.

Additionally, Houston-area consumers now have 15-minute interval access to their energy data from the Smart Meter Texas online web portal and have wireless capabilities to install in-home energy management devices. To encourage consumers to use these tools, CenterPoint Energy and Oncor, with Itron's support, launched the Biggest Energy Saver contest in 2011. The contest, now in its second year, challenges consumers to reduce their electric energy consumption and demonstrate the benefits of using smart meter energy consumption information. With the help of data from his smart meter, 2011 Houston-area winner Mike Butler used his in-home energy device and the Smart Meter Texas portal to track his overall electric usage and modified the use of certain appliances and was able to reduce his consumption by 36 percent. Winners of the 2012 contest will be announced in late fall.

"Our smart meter deployment has been extremely successful. Not only have we had compliments from our customers and the Public Utility Commission of Texas, we've also had compliments from the Department of Energy," said Kenny Mercado, division senior vice president of Grid and Market Operations for CenterPoint Energy. "We are thankful to Itron for their support throughout this project."

In addition to smart meters, CNP's system of smart grid technologies also includes a future self-healing intelligent grid that will use smart meters, power line sensors, remote switches and other automated equipment to improve power reliability and restoration in central Houston. These technologies will come together to create a truly smart grid.

"We are pleased to see the benefits CenterPoint Energy is realizing from their smart grid. It is Itron's goal to help our customers achieve their business objectives and realize their smart grid visions. CenterPoint Energy is a great example of that," said Philip Mezey, president & COO, Itron Energy.