Contract positions Powel Smart Metering Software within FOUNTER’S Solution Suite
Trondheim, Norway; Amersfoort, The Netherlands (25.02.2008): Powel, a global utility software solutions company and FOUNTER a supplier of smart metering solutions today announced that they have signed a partnership. In the contract, Powel will partner with FOUNTER in offering a unique suite to grid companies and energy supply and water companies in continental European markets. With electricity and gas reaching virtually every household and business in the whole of Europe, this agreement marks an important strategic step for Powel entering international markets with its proven smart metering solutions. For FOUNTER the partnership with Powel is an important step in realizing it’s ambitions to provide integrated smart metering software solutions to the utility industries.
Driven by new legislation, utility companies will start to replace existing electricity, water and gas meters with the next generation of intelligent meters. This large-scale replacement will have an enormous impact on meter control and meter data management, as well as logistical and operational business processes within the utility’s sector.
In developing a solution specifically designed to meet these new market requirements, FOUNTER will integrate Powel Smart Metering software in its solution suite in order to realize an end to end solution.
“We are partnering with Powel because they have a proven system, critical domain expertise, and an open architecture that fits well with our vision,” said Huub J. Albers, Managing Director of FOUNTER. “Powel has been innovating new smart metering functionality for large Scandinavia roll-out projects for a number of years. This allows us to deliver additional functionality out of the box to our customers for improving quality, customer relations and reducing operational expenses.”
For more than ten years, Powel has delivered smart metering innovations to customers throughout the European market. These solutions are developed in close association with the customers, assimilating the very best of their user experiences with Powel’s industry-leading technology. This assures that Powel solutions are well-proven and continuously improved.
“To grid companies, utilities and retailers, the alliance between Powel and FOUNTER will mean a reliable solution for centralized or distributed meter data management, secure communication, and vendor-independent integration,” said Bård Benum, CEO Powel ASA. “From a customer perspective, the combined smart metering solution can enhance demand response, improve billing and provide more customer-centric service.
“FOUNTER’s vision brings leading suppliers together to form integrated IT solutions for the total business chain,” continued Albers. “Powel has a proven track record implementing integrated smart metering systems within large utilities. They will be a critical link in FOUNTER’s end-to-end solution.”
Powel is a Gold Sponsor of Smart Metering Scandinavia 2008, a conference bringing together world-class experts and technologies in the smart metering industry. The conference is held in Stockholm on 25-26 February.
About Powel
Powel ASA, headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, delivers business-critical software solutions and related services specifically designed to help energy companies and public utilities improve daily operational processes and service quality. The company is a market leader smart metering, generation, grid maintenance and water management solutions with offices in Norway, Sweden, and North America. Founded in 1996, Powel ASA is a publicly traded company with more than 220 employees and 10 years of existence. For more information, visit www.powel.com.
About FOUNTER
FOUNTER (http://www.founter.com) is an initiative by VolkerWessels, one of the largest construction companies in Europe, and Accenture. FOUNTER offers end to end solutions for the utility and water management sector in the area of Smart Metering solutions. Within the FOUNTER business model renowned partners and suppliers work together. On the basis of a clear system vision, integrated IT solutions for the total business chain from meter to invoice are developed and released for utility and energy suppliers. The supplying of meters, communication as well as organizing and realizing the implementation is integrally part of the process. From the headquarters in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, the whole of Western Europe is covered.
©2008 Copyright Powel, Inc.
Contacts:
President/CEO Bård Benum (J) +47 73 80 45 00 (M) +47 48 16 46 70
CFO Øystein Sæther (J) +47 73 80 45 00 (M) +47 48 16 45 58
MD/ Huub J. Albers + 31 3 34 50 49 00
CO/ Cees Steendijk + 31 3 34 50 49 00