#United States #Landis+Gyr #Gridstream #WREC #Dade City, Florida

Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative Integrates Landis+Gyr's Advanced Solutions

In a significant leap towards enhancing energy management, Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC) and Landis+Gyr have officially signed a contract to deploy the latest in metering technology: the Gridstream Connect solution. This initiative aims to bolster the efficiency of grid management and streamline advanced metering processes.

Headquartered in Dade City, Florida, WREC serves a substantial customer base of over 270,000 homes and businesses, primarily located in west-central Florida, including Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Polk, and Sumter counties. With the county's ongoing growth, WREC recognizes the pressing need for a more reliable and responsive electric service to meet its members' needs.

Transformative Technology for Improved Service

The Gridstream Connect solution comprises innovative Gridstream AMI meters and Revelo® devices for grid edge sensing, all working together on an RF Mesh IP network. Additionally, the deployment will utilize Landis+Gyr's omni-carrier cellular communications in less accessible regions of WREC's service area, ensuring that no customer is left behind.

David Lambert, the General Manager of WREC, emphasized the cooperative's commitment: "As our community continues to grow along Florida's Nature Coast, we remain dedicated to providing resilient electric service for our members. By leveraging advanced data from our operations, we can automate vital processes, enhance communication, and respond swiftly to service disruptions, ultimately keeping the lights on when our community needs them the most."

Enhancing Member Engagement

WREC's new system will revolutionize how the cooperative interacts with its members. By connecting with over 270,000 services, it will significantly improve outage responses and equip customers with better access to their energy data. This endeavor is not just about technological advancement; it's about fostering a more informed and engaged membership.

Mark Ortega, the Director of Distribution Sales at Landis+Gyr, highlighted the advantages of the new system: "Flexible grid management begins at the grid edge with the ability to stream high-resolution current and voltage data. This data transforms into actionable insights for better energy management. WREC will be able to analyze advanced power quality metrics and detect grid anomalies at the edge, sharing essential data in real-time with software applications that enhance the utility and customer experience."

A Commitment to Community and Sustainability

As a not-for-profit cooperative, WREC is not only focused on delivering reliable energy but also on contributing positively to the communities it serves. This initiative aligns with their mission to provide safe and dependable energy services at the best possible value. It reflects a broader commitment to sustainability and responsible energy management, which is essential in today’s climate-conscious world.

The Future of Energy Management

Landis+Gyr, a leading global provider of integrated energy management solutions, has been a pivotal player in enabling utilities and consumers to optimize energy usage. With a rich history dating back to 1896, the company is at the forefront of smart grid technology. Generating actionable analytics for better energy management, Landis+Gyr aims to help reduce energy consumption, having successfully avoided 9 million tons of CO2 emissions just in FY 2024. With a revenue of USD 1.7 billion and approximately 6,300 employees worldwide, Landis+Gyr is poised to shape the future of energy management.

As WREC gears up to deploy this advanced metering infrastructure, the cooperative stands at the brink of a new era in energy distribution, greatly enhancing utility service reliability while prioritizing member engagement and community investment. This move not only represents innovation in the energy sector but also marks a substantial step toward more sustainable practices in electricity distribution.