Itron Announces Release of ChoiceConnect™ 100

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. — June 17, 2010 — Today, Itron Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI) announced that it will launch ChoiceConnect™ 100 for water at ACE10, the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) annual conference and exposition, June 20 - 23, 2010 in Chicago. Built around the innovation of Itron’s new 100W water end point, the ChoiceConnect 100 offers water utilities unequaled flexibility in the collection of advanced meter data.

“Itron and ACE share in the common goal of staying on the cutting edge of water research and best practices. There’s really no better venue for unveiling our next-generation advanced water solution,” said Lou Gust, Itron vice president of water sales and marketing.

Deploying ChoiceConnect 100 means water utilities can deploy 100W end points for hourly interval meter read collection (data logging), while blending in the functionality of a ChoiceConnect fixed or mobile network collection system—a true game changer for the industry. ChoiceConnect 100 will transform business operations, customer engagement and resource management for water utilities. Full two-way communication to the meter enables off-cycle reads to be easily captured without having to roll a truck, while access to real-time and historical hourly customer usage information expedites bill reconciliation.

By utilizing in-home displays utility customers will benefit from ChoiceConnect 100 by gaining timely access to their water usage information, helping them make informed decisions about their consumption. This direct connection to water usage and its cost will help conservation efforts and increase customer satisfaction. It also represents a welcome departure from receiving a monthly bill weeks after actual use.

Customer-side leak detection and distribution system monitoring are also inherent to ChoiceConnect 100, providing an additional water resource management tool. An optional Leak Sensor can also integrate with the 100W end point to proactively listen for system leaks. ChoiceConnect 100 also offers advanced capabilities such as district metering and meter right-sizing to maximize field asset performance. Lastly, with ChoiceConnect 100, utilities can now collect water, electric and gas meter data with the same collection system.

Gust concludes, “We are constantly refining and enhancing our products based on the needs of our customers. ChoiceConnect 100 is fulfilling our customers’ requests for an advanced meter data collection system that can truly meld into their operating environment. Utilities have the ultimate say in whether it’s deployed across an entire service territory or selectively deployed, or if they operate the mobile and/or fixed network systems independently or side-by-side…the flexibility is endless.”