Utility Industry Convenes for Annual Itron Utility Week to Discuss Industry Challenges

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash.—Oct. 3, 2013—Itron Utility Week brings together nearly 1,000 industry experts from some of the largest utility companies in the U.S. to talk about trends and challenges. Rapidly growing populations, aging infrastructure, expanding government mandates, new alternative energy sources and a new breed of engaged consumers are changing the way energy and water will be managed for generations to come. The conference is an opportunity for utilities to share best practices with each other to help solve these industry challenges. This year, Itron (NASDAQ: ITRI) will focus discussions around how utilities can work to 'Be Resourceful' with their approach to address complex challenges facing the industry.

What: Itron Utility Week 2013 is Itron's annual customer event where gas, water and electric utility customers from across the country will meet to discuss emerging trends and share best practices. The 2013 conference will be held at the Peabody Orlando.

When: Itron Utility Week runs from October 4-11, 2013.The Knowledge Conference including main conference sessions will be held October 6-8, with pre-conference training October 4-6 and post conference training October 9-11.

Who: Keynote speakers at Itron Utility Week include:

• Michael Even Webber, PhD., Associate Director of the Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy and Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas, Austin. Dr. Webber will share insights on the convergence of energy and water, providing an overview of global energy, water and information trends to describe how they interact, what conflicts are looming and how they can work together.
• Mike Tinskey, Director, Global Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure at Ford Motor Company. Mr. Tinskey will share insights on Ford's efforts to develop and implement new products, business models and partnerships in sustainability and the advancement of electric and alternative fuel vehicles.

Itron will also host a series of panel discussions throughout the conference. Please see a selection below.

• Big Brother, Hackers and the Smart Grid — Are smart meters secure? What do utilities do with all that data? And what assurances do consumers have that their data will be kept private? This session will explore smart meter security, data privacy policies, and how to address consumer concerns that data is safe.
• Engaging Consumers with Gamification, Social Media and Behavioral Science — Engaging consumers is both an art and a science. This session will explore how utilities can leverage "big data" along with behavioral science techniques and "gamification" to engage customers in energy efficiency programs through social media and other channels.
• Cyber Security 101: Ensuring Privacy and Preventing Attacks — This session provides an overview of cyber security and what it means for utilities. It will explore policies, procedures and operational impacts of security, as well as certificate management, policy authentication, encryption and administrative controls.
• Smart Grid: The Foundation of Smart Cities — This session features discussion around the relevance of the smart grid for smart cities and how the convergence of energy and water with advanced communication technology serves as one of its most critical components. Itron, IBM and Microsoft, members of the Smart Cities Council, will share how the smart grid industry is impacting urban sustainability.

Where: Peabody Orlando, 9801 International Dr., Orlando, FL 32819