GLENDALE, California – Glendale Water & Power (GWP) today announced the award of a $4.2 million contract to Utility Partners of America (UPA) to replace existing electric and water meters with Smart Meters for GWP customers starting this year.

Part of GWP’s larger move to a Smart Grid, Smart Meters will help customers conserve energy and water by allowing for two-way communication between customers and the utility, and for the first time providing customers with real-time electricity usage data.

UPA, one of the nation’s largest utility service contractors, is scheduled to begin installing Smart Meters in selected demonstration areas in Glendale this spring. Full-scale installation for all GWP customers is scheduled for late summer/early fall.

“With Smart Meters, our customers will be able to conserve more because they will know exactly how much they are using and how much they are spending,” said GWP General Manager Glenn Steiger. “This also will help improve the environment due to ongoing energy and water savings. Plus, Smart Meters will provide many other benefits, including a faster response to power outages and earlier detection of any water leaks in our system.”

UPA will install Itron, Inc.’s OpenWay® Smart Grid technology for GWP’s 84,500 electric customers and Itron's Water SaveSource™ for 33,400 water customers, plus the wide area network to facilitate communications between GWP and the individual meters. In addition, UPA will install leak-detecting sensors, also from Itron, that will be used to continuously monitor GWP's entire water system.

To further support the Smart Meter initiative, project management and technical support are being provided by KEMA, Inc., a recognized leader in Smart Grid development.

“A successful move to the Smart Grid requires the right implementation, the right technologies and the support of regulators. This project has all three,” said Craig Kuennen, GWP’s project sponsor for the Smart Grid Initiative. “GWP is confident that our Smart Meter and Smart Grid initiative will serve as a model for others to follow in California and across the nation while helping our customers lower their bills and helping GWP further improve the services we offer.”

Mike Cale, UPA’s chief executive officer, said, “UPA is excited about the opportunity to work with GWP and its other industry partners on this initiative, which is in the forefront of Smart Meter projects. We look forward to doing our part to bring Smart Meters to Glendale residents to benefit the entire community and the environment.”

More information on GWP’s Smart Grid and Smart Meter project is available at www.GlendaleWaterAndPower.com.

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About Glendale Water & Power Glendale Water & Power is the City of Glendale’s utility. Glendale Water & Power provides water to 33,400 customers in Glendale, California. The city-owned utility also generates, transmits and distributes electricity to 84,500 residential, commercial and industrial customers. www.GlendaleWaterAndPower.com

About Utility Partners of America (UPA) Utility Partners of America is a utility services contractor with a focus on meter installation services, in-home device installation and home warranty programs to water, gas and electric utilities throughout the United States and Canada. UPA’s core competencies include management of field deployments for device installation, home warranty services programs, technical support, state-of-the-art call center services, marketing and other energy conservation programs. www.utilitypartners.com