RUMSEY UTILITY SOLUTIONS

Itron’s acquisition of SmartSynch yesterday changes the rules of engagement in the ongoing smart grid communications wars.  

Published by SmartGridNews.com 2-16-12

Until yesterday, every major supplier favored a single communications technology. In Itron’s case, it was OpenWay, its own flavor of RF mesh networking. (It had also partnered with Cisco on a Cisco-branded version of RF.) But with the purchase of SmartSynch — the leading proponent of cellular-based communications — Itron jumps ahead of the pack. It becomes the first vendor that can say to utility customers “you can have it your way.” (Rival Silver Spring Networks is almost………[READ MORE ]

Mumbai, Nov 27 (PTI)

The Rs 16,000-crore electrical transformer industry has warned that the transmission industry may be hit due to an expected serious supply gap of a vital raw material called CRGO steel, as its sole domestic producer SAIL is not ready to produce it.

“Cold-rolled grain-oriented laminated silicon steel or CRGO steel used by the electrical transformer industry used to be made by Steel Authority of India (SAIL).  However, not only did the state-run steel firm stop production of this vital raw material, but is also opposed to resume production.  “We believe this is being done at the behest of those, who control its imports,” a spokesperson for the Indian Transformer Manufacturers’ Association (ITMA) told PTI here today.  He also pointed out that the Tatas-owned Corus, based in Britain, is the only other domestic company that has the technology to manufacture CRGO steel.

“But Corus, too, does not seem to be keen to do so, even though the country consumes around 20 per cent of global CRGO steel.  Several representations made by us to the Union Steel Ministry have not helped,” added the ITMA spokesperson.  When contacted, SAIL chairman & managing director C S Verma told PTI that his company is exploring a tie-up with a foreign company to manufacture CRGO steel.  “We are in tie-up talks with a foreign company to manufacture CRGO steel.  But at the moment, I am not at liberty to name the company.  We used to make CRGO steel 30 years ago, but we could not succeed in stabilising our production.  So, we had to discontinue it. So far, nobody has mastered this technology here,” Verma explained.  A Tata Steel spokesperson refused to comment saying it is not immediately possible for them to comment on this.

The electrical transmission and distribution industry is fully dependant on electrical transformers to supply power, but it does not seem to be aware of the problems of the transformer industry, electrical transformer industry, sources said. 

Reported by BNI:  http://bit.ly/tdZGbl

 Itron and Tantalus to Deliver Cutting-Edge Smart Meter and Communications Solution for Cooperative, Public Power and Municipal Markets  

Itron metering and data collection technology to integrate with Tantalus communications technology, bringing advanced automation to the public utilities marketplace

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash., and RALEIGH, NC, – September 15, 2011 – Itron Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI) and Tantalus Systems Corp. announced today a strategic partnership dedicated to delivering a wide range of smart metering and smart grid benefits to electric and multi-service public utilities. The commitment ensures that public utilities across North and Central America will be able to provide increased levels of customer service, greater service reliability, improved efficiency and access to usage information that smart metering delivers. ….[READ MORE]

SPX/Waukesha Electric Systems’ North facility shipped its 10,000th transformer on Tuesday, September 20th. This milestone unit was produced for one of Southern Company’s subsidiaries, Georgia Power. Destined for the Savannah, Georgia area, the transformer will be designated as a system spare.

Named to Fortunemagazine’s 2011 list of the “World’s Most Admired Companies,” Southern Company is one of the largest generators of electricity in the United States and has been serving the Southeast for more than 100 years. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Southern Company consists of a variety of business units, including four electric utilities—Georgia Power, Alabama Power, Gulf Power and Mississippi Power. Together, these four operating companies serve 4.4 million retail customers in Georgia, Alabama, Southern Mississippi and the panhandle of Florida and make up one of the strongest Master Business Alliances in which both Southern Company and Waukesha participates.

The success of the Alliance is proven by the fact that Southern Company has more than 800 Waukesha® transformers in operation on their system today…and that number continues to grow! The formal Alliance with Southern Company began in 1997 after they determined that Waukesha was consistently providing the lowest total cost of ownership to Southern Company by evaluating many transformer service years spread across many transformers. A Master Business Agreement (MBA)—or Alliance—is a platform, either formal or informal, upon which two companies conduct business under mutually agreeable and beneficial commercial terms and conditions.

Waukesha is proud to be so closely tied to such an esteemed organization as Southern Company and excited that the 10,000th transformer manufactured at our Wisconsin facility since 1970 went to a great Alliance customer!