Elster and ABB Announce Partnership to Combine Technologies of Elster's Advance Metering Infrastructure and ABB's Instrument Transformers


New technology enhances Elster's and ABB's smart grid capabilities

Raleigh, North Carolina, January 29, 2009 -- Elster, a leader in smart metering and smart grid systems and solutions, and ABB, a global leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance, today announce the development of a new revenue grade medium voltage metering node, uniquely suited to meeting critical medium voltage monitoring needs of the smart grid.

The smart grid medium voltage metering node combines ABB's innovative instrument transformer technology, integrating power sensing in a combined voltage-current (CVC) self-contained package, with Elster's industry leading ALPHA® metering platform resulting in an advanced, self-powered medium voltage polyphase metering node.

In addition to the benefits of simplified installation offered by ABB's CVC, utilities also realize significant benefits from Elster's ALPHA meter equipped with integrated communications from systems such as Elster's EnergyAxis®. Through this integrated approach, data gathered from medium voltage locations can be combined and time-synchronized with other system-level data allowing utilities to more efficiently monitor and operate their distribution network.

"Elster is excited to have ABB participate in Elster's Advanced Grid Infrastructure (AGI) Initiative. Elster and ABB share a common goal of providing products to help utilities realize the smart grid, and the medium voltage monitoring node is another example in our mutual heritage of utility industry innovation," said Carl LaPlace, Elster senior AGI product manager.

"Our vast experience in development of medium voltage instrument transformer sensor technology allows ABB to realize innovative products like the CVC that meet both the high reliability and accuracy demands needed for grid modernization," said Marco Machi, ABB sales and marketing manager. "Working with technology leader's like Elster results in new product solutions for utilities to harvest feeder information to drive new applications for smarter grid management."

About Elster

Elster, a global leader in smart metering and smart grid solutions, has delivered over 1.5 million smart metering devices worldwide with systems located in North America, Europe, Central America, Australia, New Zealand and the Caribbean. Elster smart metering system solutions provide utilities with energy conservation capabilities via demand response programs, smart grid applications, and operational efficiencies resulting in significant value creation across the utility enterprise. Elster has over 7,500 staff and operates globally in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia. www.elster.com.

About ABB

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 120,000 people. The company's North American operations, headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, employ about 15,000 people in 20 manufacturing and other major facilities.

For more information, please contact:
Gabrielle Puccio,
Director, Corporate Communications
Elster, 208 S. Rogers Lane,
Raleigh, NC 27610,
919 250 5413
Email: gabrielle.puccio@us.elster.com
or
Bill Rose
ABB Media Relations Manager
Telephone: 919 807 5743
Email: bill.rose@us.abb.com

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