Itron Inc.
Chicago-based Exelon, one of the largest electric utilities in the United
States, uses automated meter reading (AMR) technology to monitor
electric power usage of its 1.7 million customers in Philadelphia.
Looking for additional ways to derive value from the AMR data, the
company deployed a pilot project using a meter data analysis program
from Microsoft® Utility Partner Itron, and hosted on Microsoft SQL
Server® 2005 database software as the relational data store. Working
from a subset of a 7-terabyte database to model its distribution network,
including loads on unit substations, step-down transformers, local
transformers, and power cables, the company found it could use the
AMR information to predict equipment failures that could cause power
outages. The ability to model loads on its distribution network is
expected to help the company reduce outages and gain lower
operational costs.
