ERDF has chosen Landis+Gyr for its first step in the deployment of Linky meters

-- Landis+Gyr has been chosen to deliver a substantial portion of 'Linky' meters to ERDF (the French national electricity distributor, Electricite Reseau Distribution France) . These meters will be produced in Montlucon, France, where Landis+Gyr has been located since 1940

ZUG, Switzerland, Sept. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Landis+Gyr, the global leader in energy management solutions, announced today the signing of a contract worth approximately €60 million to deliver 'Linky' meters to ERDF. Landis+Gyr is one of the leading suppliers for this strategic programme. From the beginning of the project, Landis+Gyr has taken part in both designing and testing of the 'Linky' meter, in accordance with ERDF specifications. The meter is based on PLC (Power Line Communication) technology.

ERDF (Electricite Reseau Distribution France) manages the electrical distribution network for 95% of the metropolitan area. The company ensures the operation, development and maintenance of 1,265,500 km of power lines serving 35 million customers.

In 2010, ERDF staged a first smart meter pilot, which comprised 300,000 'Linky' smart meters and 7,000 Data Concentrators, as well as a central system with scalability to 35 million end points. Landis+Gyr was one of three device suppliers in this pilot project, and it delivered successful results.

Following this success, the French Government and the French Energy Regulator (the CRE) gave their green light for a nationwide rollout of these meters.

In the middle of 2013, ERDF announced the public tender for the first phase of the smart meter deployment, with rollout scheduled to take place between 2015 and 2016. The volumes in this first step are three million 'Linky' meters and 80,000 Data Concentrators, with a split between G1 technology (PLC-PLAN) and G3 technology (PLC based on OFDM technology).

"Landis+Gyr is proud to have been selected by ERDF as one of the main suppliers for this ambitious programme to bring smart meter technology across France," said Andreas Umbach, Landis+Gyr's President and CEO. He added: "We look forward to helping them realize the goal of empowering their customers to better manage their energy consumption."

This contract forms the first part of ERDF's plans to deploy 'Linky' meters France between 2015 and 2021.

"The awarding of these contracts mark an important step for ERDF and initiates the industrial phase of the 'Linky' programme. Its success is based on the partnership between ERDF and all the companies mobilised. With these smart meters, ERDF has become part of the digital revolution and supports the deployment of smart grids in France," adds Bernard Lassus, Director of the ERDF 'Linky' Programme.

"'Linky' is the first step towards the smart grid of the future in France, and continued modernization of the French electricity network remains an ERDF priority.  Landis+Gyr has a long, successful history of working with ERDF and we are proud to support them with the delivery of products manufactured in France, in Montlucon, both in G1 and G3 PLC technology. Once complete, this programme will count as the world's largest smart metering rollout to date," says Christian Huguet, Country Manager Landis+Gyr France.

About Landis+Gyr

Landis+Gyr is the leading global provider of integrated energy management products tailored to energy company needs and 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$1.5 billion, Landis+Gyr, an independent growth platform of the Toshiba Corporation (TKY:6502) and 40% owned by the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan, operates in 30 countries across five continents, and employs 5,500 people with the sole mission of helping the world manage energy better.