Arkansas Cooperative to Modernize Electric Grid with Itron's Gen5 Riva Solution
Itron (NASDAQ: ITRI) and National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) are collaborating with Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative (AVECC) to enhance grid resiliency across the Arkansas River Valley. The project, funded through the U.S. Department of Energy's GRIP Program, involves deploying Itron's Gen5 Riva® smart meters integrated with fiber-enabled communications technology.
AVECC, serving nearly 63,000 members across 6,000+ miles of distribution lines, is building upon its 2018 Advanced Smart Grid Project by enhancing its GPON fiber infrastructure with Itron's Fiber MiniAP devices. This upgrade will provide improved grid operational data visibility, edge analytics, and enhanced member services.
The implementation enables cost-effective IIoT network coverage in rural, low meter-per-mile areas, supporting advanced metering infrastructure and grid management applications while improving resilience against extreme weather and aging infrastructure challenges.
Itron (NASDAQ: ITRI) e la National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) stanno collaborando con l'Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative (AVECC) per migliorare la resilienza della rete nella valle del fiume Arkansas. Il progetto, finanziato attraverso il Programma GRIP del Dipartimento dell'Energia degli Stati Uniti, prevede l'installazione dei contatori intelligenti Gen5 Riva® di Itron integrati con tecnologia di comunicazione abilitata alla fibra.
AVECC, che serve quasi 63.000 membri su oltre 6.000 miglia di linee di distribuzione, sta ampliando il suo Progetto Avanzato di Smart Grid del 2018 migliorando la sua infrastruttura in fibra GPON con i dispositivi Fiber MiniAP di Itron. Questo aggiornamento fornirà una migliore visibilità dei dati operativi della rete, analisi a livello di edge e servizi migliorati per i membri.
L'implementazione consente una copertura di rete IIoT conveniente nelle aree rurali con un basso numero di contatori per miglio, supportando le applicazioni di infrastruttura di misurazione avanzata e gestione della rete, migliorando al contempo la resilienza contro eventi meteorologici estremi e le sfide legate all'invecchiamento delle infrastrutture.
Itron (NASDAQ: ITRI) y la National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) están colaborando con la Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative (AVECC) para mejorar la resiliencia de la red en el valle del río Arkansas. El proyecto, financiado a través del Programa GRIP del Departamento de Energía de EE. UU., implica la implementación de medidores inteligentes Gen5 Riva® de Itron integrados con tecnología de comunicaciones habilitada para fibra.
AVECC, que atiende a casi 63,000 miembros a lo largo de más de 6,000 millas de líneas de distribución, está ampliando su Proyecto de Smart Grid Avanzado de 2018 mejorando su infraestructura de fibra GPON con dispositivos Fiber MiniAP de Itron. Esta actualización proporcionará una mejor visibilidad de los datos operativos de la red, análisis en el borde y servicios mejorados para los miembros.
La implementación permite una cobertura de red IIoT rentable en áreas rurales con bajo número de medidores por milla, apoyando aplicaciones de infraestructura de medición avanzada y gestión de la red, al tiempo que mejora la resiliencia frente a condiciones climáticas extremas y los desafíos de infraestructura envejecida.
Itron (NASDAQ: ITRI)와 National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC)는 Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative (AVECC)와 협력하여 아칸소 강 유역의 그리드 회복력을 향상시키고 있습니다. 이 프로젝트는 미국 에너지부의 GRIP 프로그램을 통해 자금을 지원받으며, Itron의 Gen5 Riva® 스마트 미터를 섬유 통신 기술과 통합하여 배포하는 내용을 포함합니다.
AVECC는 6,000마일 이상의 배급선에서 거의 63,000명의 회원을 서비스하며, 2018년의 고급 스마트 그리드 프로젝트를 기반으로 Itron의 Fiber MiniAP 장치로 GPON 섬유 인프라를 강화하고 있습니다. 이 업그레이드는 그리드 운영 데이터 가시성, 엣지 분석 및 향상된 회원 서비스를 제공합니다.
이 구현은 저렴한 IIoT 네트워크 커버리지를 제공하여 농촌 지역의 낮은 미터당 마일 수를 지원하며, 고급 계량 인프라 및 그리드 관리 애플리케이션을 지원하면서 극한 날씨와 노후화된 인프라 문제에 대한 회복력을 향상시킵니다.
Itron (NASDAQ: ITRI) et la National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) collaborent avec l'Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative (AVECC) pour améliorer la résilience du réseau dans la vallée de l'Arkansas. Le projet, financé par le programme GRIP du ministère américain de l'Énergie, consiste à déployer les compteurs intelligents Gen5 Riva® d'Itron intégrés à une technologie de communication par fibre.
AVECC, qui dessert près de 63 000 membres sur plus de 6 000 miles de lignes de distribution, s'appuie sur son projet Avancé de Smart Grid de 2018 en améliorant son infrastructure en fibre GPON avec les dispositifs Fiber MiniAP d'Itron. Cette mise à niveau offrira une meilleure visibilité des données opérationnelles du réseau, des analyses à la périphérie et des services améliorés pour les membres.
L'implémentation permet une couverture de réseau IIoT rentable dans les zones rurales avec un faible nombre de compteurs par mile, soutenant les infrastructures de mesure avancées et les applications de gestion de réseau tout en améliorant la résilience face aux conditions météorologiques extrêmes et aux défis liés aux infrastructures vieillissantes.
Itron (NASDAQ: ITRI) und die National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) arbeiten mit der Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative (AVECC) zusammen, um die Netzresilienz im Arkansas River Valley zu verbessern. Das Projekt, das durch das GRIP-Programm des US-Energieministeriums finanziert wird, umfasst die Bereitstellung von Itrons Gen5 Riva®-Smart-Metern, die mit faserbasierten Kommunikationstechnologien integriert sind.
AVECC, das fast 63.000 Mitglieder über mehr als 6.000 Meilen Verteilungsleitungen bedient, baut auf seinem Advanced Smart Grid Project von 2018 auf, indem es seine GPON-Faserinfrastruktur mit Itrons Fiber MiniAP-Geräten erweitert. Dieses Upgrade wird eine verbesserte Sichtbarkeit der Betriebsdaten des Netzes, Edge-Analysen und verbesserte Mitgliederdienste bieten.
Die Implementierung ermöglicht eine kostengünstige IIoT-Netzabdeckung in ländlichen Gebieten mit wenigen Zählern pro Meile und unterstützt fortschrittliche Messinfrastrukturen sowie Anwendungen zur Netzverwaltung, während sie die Resilienz gegen extreme Wetterbedingungen und Herausforderungen durch alternde Infrastrukturen verbessert.
- DOE GRIP Program funding secured for project implementation
- Expansion into rural utility market with 63,000 member reach
- Integration with existing infrastructure reduces deployment costs
- Strategic partnership with NRTC enhances market penetration
- Rural, low meter-per-mile areas may impact revenue efficiency
- High infrastructure investment required for extensive coverage area
Insights
Itron's partnership with Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative (AVECC) represents a strategic win that leverages the company's technology flexibility while opening doors to an underserved market segment. This DOE-funded grid modernization project will deploy Itron's Gen5 Riva smart meters integrated with the cooperative's existing fiber infrastructure across a 63,000-member service territory with over 6,000 miles of distribution lines.
The deployment showcases Itron's Fiber MiniAP technology, specifically designed to overcome the economic challenges of low meter-density rural areas - a persistent hurdle in grid modernization efforts. By enabling AVECC to leverage its existing fiber investments while adding RF mesh capabilities, Itron offers a cost-effective path to modernization that could appeal to hundreds of similarly situated rural cooperatives across the country.
While the immediate financial impact is likely modest relative to Itron's
This deployment validates Itron's channel strategy through NRTC to efficiently reach the cooperative segment. It also demonstrates the company's alignment with growing utility concerns around grid resilience against extreme weather - a priority driving infrastructure investment nationwide. Beyond the initial hardware deployment, the project creates opportunities for recurring revenue through additional services and analytics capabilities.
Cooperative to Leverage Fiber Network to Improve Grid Resiliency and Reliability Across Rural Service Territory
LIBERTY LAKE, Wash., March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is innovating new ways for utilities and cities to manage energy and water, and its channel partner, National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC), are working together with Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative Corporation (AVECC), to improve grid resiliency and reliability for AVECC’s members across the Arkansas River Valley.
AVECC is leveraging its existing fiber optic network to unlock a broad range of applications at the grid edge. As part of the collaboration, AVECC is deploying Itron’s Gen5 Riva® smart meters and connecting them to Itron’s fiber-enabled communications technology. This smart grid project, which was awarded funding through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program, enables AVECC to upgrade its power grid and to improve the delivery of affordable and clean energy across the rural community, which has more than 6,000 miles of distribution lines and nearly 63,000 members across its service territory.
In 2018, AVECC launched its Advanced Smart Grid Project by deploying a Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) fiber communications system that delivers secure, high-speed connectivity directly to its electric substations while also providing members with reliable, high-speed internet access. To further modernize its network, AVECC is enhancing its GPON fiber infrastructure with Itron’s Fiber MiniAP devices to connect Itron electric smart meters throughout its service territory. This will provide AVECC with greater visibility into grid operational data along with control and analytics capability at the edge of the grid. It will also enable AVECC to offer its members enhanced services and access to detailed consumption data.
The Itron Fiber MiniAP is designed to allow utilities, cooperatives or municipalities operating existing GPON fiber networks to cost-effectively extend industrial IoT (IIoT) network coverage in rural, low meter-per-mile areas. It is a flexible network device, seamlessly delivering intelligent connectivity by enabling both fiber and RF Mesh communications to connect smart grid assets for applications such as advanced metering infrastructure, distributed intelligence or grid management.
“With this project, we are initiating the next chapter in our smart grid journey. By integrating Itron technology with our fiber network, we are further modernizing our electric grid to deliver reliable and resilient energy to our members, even in remote areas,” said Chris Howek, Manager of Engineering at AVECC. “We appreciate the collaboration with Itron and NRTC as we deploy a comprehensive smart grid and improve resiliency against the growing threats of extreme weather and aging infrastructure.”
“Itron is proud to partner with AVECC on their grid modernization journey, supporting their ongoing investments in reliability, safety and member services,” said John Marcolini, senior vice president of Networked Solutions at Itron. “Our commitment is to empower utilities of all sizes with innovative, practical technologies that meet their needs today and help them anticipate the challenges of tomorrow.”
“We are committed to helping cooperatives leverage technology to enhance the resilience of rural America's electric grid. As an NRTC member, Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative gains access to our technical expertise, project management, and logistical support - both now and throughout the solution’s lifecycle. With the project in motion, we’re eager to drive progress and equip the utility with modern technology," said Chad Dose, Director of AMI Solutions at NRTC.
About Itron
Itron is a proven global leader in energy, water, smart city, IIoT and intelligent infrastructure services. For utilities, cities and society, we build innovative systems, create new efficiencies, connect communities, encourage conservation and increase resourcefulness. By safeguarding our invaluable natural resources today and tomorrow, we improve the quality of life for people around the world. Join us: www.itron.com.
Itron®, the Itron Logo and Riva® are registered trademarks of Itron, Inc in the United States and other countries and regions. MiniAP is a trademark of Itron, Inc in the United States. All third-party trademarks are property of their respective owners and any usage herein does not suggest or imply any relationship between Itron and the third party unless expressly stated.
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FAQ
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