Hydro-Quebec Selected Landis+Gyr For $350M Contract
Landis+Gyr (recently bought by Toshiba), today announced a major contract with Hydro-Quebec, one of North America's largest utilities, to deploy its next generation digital smart meter network. This project will assist Hydro-Quebec to improve grid reliability and bring utility operational efficiencies.
Under the agreement, valued at C$350 million, Landis+Gyr's Gridstream™ RF two-way communications infrastructure will be installed, allowing Hydro-Quebec to collect usage, voltage and power quality data, and eventually allow consumers to monitor energy consumption in real time. Landis+Gyr will supply FOCUS AX meters for 80 percent of the 3.75 million meters deployed by Hydro-Quebec. Landis+Gyr will also provide a data management system, associated software, service and support. The deployment is set to begin with a nearly 30,000 smart meter pilot project in parts of Montreal, Boucherville and Magog later this year, before the remaining smart meters are installed between 2012 and 2017.
"We are proud to partner with Hydro-Quebec, a utility that has long been a leader in renewable energy and energy efficiency," said Landis+Gyr North American CEO Richard Mora. "The desire of Hydro-Quebec to install technology that provides access to the benefits of the smart grid for their customers is exciting, and further demonstrates their leadership in delivering quality customer service."
The smart meter deployment, the largest in Canada and one of the biggest in North America, will allow Hydro-Quebec to capture key voltage and power quality data to enhance grid reliability. The project will also open the way to an energy-efficient smart grid distribution network needed to secure, protect and conserve the power supply.
A win-win partnership for Quebec
Landis+Gyr has a proven track record of successfully implementing large scale advanced metering deployments. The model for executing programs of this magnitude includes the hiring of local labor resources including direct employees, contractors and service providers.
Landis+Gyr will establish a Center of Excellence to support the mass deployment phase of the Hydro-Quebec project. Testing, calibration, inspection, meter assembly and network management are just some of the activities envisioned for the Center, which could grow to employ up to seventy-five locally. Beyond this, the Center of Excellence can serve as a platform for future growth as business expands across Canada, potentially providing local employment for up to two hundred.
"While the scope of work and final details of future Canadian operations are still in the early days," Mr. Mora said, "I am confident that with Hydro-Quebec's support, we can and will make a positive local impact."
The timing of recruitment and hiring will coincide with and support the overall project plan. Initial deployment will require limited new labor resources, with larger support required once mass deployment begins.
Landis+Gyr smart grid elsewhere in Canada
In addition to Hydro-Quebec, several large utilities in Canada are deploying Landis+Gyr smart meter solutions, including Fortis Alberta and Hydro One in Ontario.
With significant technological progress and encouragement from lawmakers and regulators, smart metering is expected to transform energy management and grid reliability across the globe. Smart metering solutions provide utilities with a two-way flow of data required to manage energy use, efficiency and demand response and network protection.