Brazil Chooses Landis+Gyr As Country's First Approved Smart Meter Systems Provider

Technology Will Help Spread 'Culture of Conservation,' Empowering Brazilian Consumers to Manage Energy Better

Rio De Janeiro /PRNewswire/ -- Landis+Gyr, the global leader in energy management offering utilities next generation smart grid solutions, has received approval to deploy the first Advanced Metering Solution to be used in Brazil, empowering consumers across the country to better manage their energy. The Landis+Gyr SGP+M System will allow Brazilian utilities to provide up-to-date energy information to help Brazilians control their energy use, cut energy costs, reduce environmental impacts and better protect against energy theft. Following the system's certification by Inmetro (the National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality), Landis+Gyr plans to install 200,000 new endpoints by the end of this year.

The Inmetro certification comes after nearly two years of extensive studies and rigorous testing of more than 300,000 devices across several utilities. During this time, Inmetro and Landis+Gyr worked closely to develop a sustainable electronic metering system that is tailored to fit Brazil's needs as the country works towards modernizing its electrical grid.

"With the Inmetro certification, our technology will help millions of people in Brazil to better manage their personal energy consumption and benefit from the savings associated with conservation," said Alvaro Dias, Executive Vice President of Landis+Gyr South America. "We are proud to work with Brazil's administrative bodies to help ensure the Country's energy future."

Landis+Gyr's SGP+M System provides a two-way flow of data between customer meters and utility back-end systems. With this two-way data flow, utilities will be able to offer customers a broad array of service options that enhance the efficiency and reliability of the electric grid. Customers will benefit from more information, expanded choices, and simpler, smarter management of their energy use. Utilities gain the advantage of lower operational costs and reduced non-technical losses, and in turn are able to offer faster, higher quality service, as well as dedicate more resources to the development of new products and services.

Smart metering is expected to revolutionize energy management and grid security across the globe, with Brazil leading the way in South America. Landis+Gyr's 100% Brazilian-made SGP+M System will be crucial to bolstering local utilities' income recovery processes and helping utilities prevent and fight non-technical losses such as meter tampering, energy theft, and lack of payment. According to data from the National Agency for Electric Energy, Brazil loses approximately $4 Billion from energy theft each year.

In 2008, for the eighth year in a row, Landis+Gyr has been listed as "one of the top ten firms to work for in Brazil" by the prestigious Exame magazine. The Landis+Gyr facility of 450 employees located in Curitiba prides itself on its high level of innovation and is one of the most modern plants in the Landis+Gyr network, exceeding both Brazilian and global energy sector quality standards. Moreover, just this April, Landis+Gyr received two prestigious awards for customer service excellence from forward-looking Brazilian utilities, Light S.A. and Ampla, part of Grupo Endesa, which supply energy to the state of Rio de Janeiro.

About Landis+Gyr

Landis+Gyr is the leading provider of integrated energy management solutions tailored to energy company needs. With a global presence and a reputation for quality and innovation, Landis+Gyr is unique in its ability to deliver true end-to-end advanced metering solutions. Today, the Company offers the broadest portfolio of products and services in the electricity metering industry, and is paving the way for the next generation of smart grid. With annualized sales of more than US$1.25 billion, Landis+Gyr operates in over 30 countries across five continents, and employs over 5,000 people with the sole mission of helping the world manage energy better. For more information about Landis+Gyr, please visit the corporate website at www.landisgyr.com.

SOURCE Landis+Gyr

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