PG&E selects more than one million meters from GE Energy

Atlanta, GA — (METERING.COM) — December 4, 2006 – Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is to be supplied with more than one million GE Energy I-210 solid-state residential meters and kV2c polyphase meters equipped with automatic meter reading (AMR) technology.

The meters are being acquired as part of PG&E’s SmartMeter™ program, which will involve the installation of 9.3 million smart meter devices for the utility’s 5.1 million electric and 4.2 million gas customers over the next 5 years. Under PG&E’s SmartMeter program, some meters currently in service will be retrofitted, while a large portion will be replaced with the new GE Energy equipment.

GE Energy’s I-210 and kV2c meters will be equipped with Distribution Control System Inc. (DCSI) transponders, which will be used to remotely read, collect and transmit electricity information to a central location. PG&E will purchase more than $65 million worth of the equipment over a five-year period. The meters will be shipped beginning in the first quarter of 2007.

“GE Energy’s technology is compatible with DCSI and a variety of AMR technologies," said Dan Heintzelman, president of GE Energy’s services business. "Our accurate and flexible I-210 and kV2c metering platforms have been accepted by the ANSI marketplace and will soon be introduced in IEC versions.”

PG&E provides gas and electric service in northern and central California.