Connode AB to deliver Smart Metering communications in major roll-out to Helsinki Energy

Connode AB (former Tritech Products AB) delivers their 3rd generation wireless mesh communication products to Finnish utility Helen Electricity Network Ltd, as a core component in Helen’s current Smart Metering deployment. Helen Electricity Network is a subsidiary of Helsinki Energy. Approximately 225,000 Smart Metering endpoints, all connected by Connode, will be installed by the end of 2012.

“This is an acknowledgment for Connode and shows that wireless mesh radio is a fully established communications technology in Europe. The installation at Helen will be the largest Smart Metering deployment in Europe based on wireless mesh technology” says Christer Österlind, CTO at Connode. “We are very proud that Helsinki Energy has this level of confidence in both our products and in our capability to execute such a major project.”

The project is an important step for Helen Electricity Network to improve the service level for its customers. The system allows near-real-time monitoring of the end-users’ consumption of electricity, an important feature for customers who want to contribute to a sustainable city by reducing energy consumption.

“We have been using Tritech/Connode products for our Smart Meters since 2008. It has proven itself easy to install as well as being a robust and flexible communication solution “ says Mika Nousiainen, Metering Manager, Helen Electricity Network. “We also see that the system provides very high service levels and we expect that our maintenance costs can be kept to a minimum since Connode’s self-configuring and self-healing characteristics handle possible disturbances and errors in equipment or the public area network we utilize”

The smart metering market in Europe is projected to grow 18% annually the coming 5-10 years. New functionality for smart metering is becoming more complex and the importance of reliable and cost efficient communication solutions will increase significantly. Wireless mesh communications technology is one of the prime alternatives due to its proven ability to meet both todays and tomorrows requirements on lifecycle cost and performance.