Raleigh, NC – July 17, 2012 – Tantalus, a leading provider of Smart Grid communications, today announced that Cedar Falls Utilities (CFU) has selected Tantalus as the technology platform for a fiber-based smart grid solution. Tantalus’ communications technology will support the utility’s existing fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and wireless broadband networks, which provide substantially greater bandwidth capacity to their customers than is commonly available. This is the company’s second customer contract win in the past quarter alone that leverages its joint public power offering with Itron.
The forward-thinking Iowa municipality – a provider of electricity, water, gas, cable TV and Internet services to more than 17,000 customers – proved its foresight 15 years ago as one of the first Midwestern utilities to install fiber optic communications. In its latest move to develop its grid, Cedar Falls has chosen the Tantalus Utility Network (TUNet®) to implement an initial deployment of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) solutions, using Itron meters, that makes use of its existing investments in fiber deployment.
The Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) contributed to the project with funds from a US Department of Energy (DOE) grant to develop a more intelligent and efficient energy grid. This announcement represents another DOE-funded customer win for Tantalus, and the company’s second in Iowa this year. The initial deployment is on track to begin in September 2012.
“A smart grid roll out is the logical next step for utilities already supplying their end users with fiber or wireless connectivity,” said Eric Murray, president and CEO of Tantalus. “CFU is a savvy customer, and we’re honored that after a hard look at the available options they chose the scalability and flexibility that TUNet provides. Public power utilities like CFU that have invested in bringing cutting edge connectivity to their customers want to derive the most value out of their existing investments and we, along with integral partners like Itron, can help them accomplish that.”
