Black River Electric Co-op Hires TMD To Perform AMI Meter Exchange For 29,000 Of Its Customers

WACO, Texas, Dec. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Black River Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BREC) announced today its 2019 advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) deployment plan for 29,000 of its South Carolina residential customers; selecting Texas-based Texas Meter & Device Co. (TMD) to perform its meter changeouts.

With the discontinuation of BREC's existing power line carrier, a TS2 communications system, the utility began evaluating options to update its AMI platform. The new radio-frequency (RF) system installed by TMD will offer prepaid billing and time-of-use rates. Additionally, the system will more accurately capture interval data that will help when assisting BREC customers with high bill complaints and other issues.

TMD proposed a 10-month AMI deployment starting in March of 2019 for 29,000 of its 32,000 customers. "We are impressed with TMD's flexibility especially because of the way we need to move data back and forth. We are asking TMD to collect quite a few pieces of information while installing the new advanced metering technology, and they are willing to do that as a standard service with each exchange. TMD is providing a high level of detail which is valuable to us," states BREC's VP of Engineering, James Moye.

In the months prior to making the change to an RF AMI system, BREC found that purchasing TMD's proprietary Recertified Green^® TS2 Meters made the most sense. "We knew eventually we would change out our system and didn't want to sink a lot of money into new meters that we would just turn around and take out," says Moye. "TMD's recertified meters were the most practical option due to cost and availability. Plus, the lead time was a lot shorter."

TMD, established in 1937, is among the largest and most experienced providers of AMI and meter technology integration in the country. "Utilities typically come to us because we have a proven track record of successfully completing these types of projects. We are also able to offset the cost of hiring and training temporary people and are excited to support the South Carolina community by engaging with both retired BREC employees and local personnel to help us with this deployment," says TMD's Regional Business Manager, Phil Dudley.

TMD aims to be the premiere provider of AMI, metering and utility services for electric, water and gas utilities across the nation. TMD offers metering products, AMI services, utility services, field testing and verification, meter shop services, transformer-rated metering, tools/PPE/safety equipment and high-voltage testing.

Contact: [email protected]  or (832) 799-0261

RELEASE CONTACT:  
Dahlia Kelada
Director of Marketing, TMD
[email protected]
254-799-0261

SOURCE Texas Meter & Device Company LLC