Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP) to Deploy 231,000 SmartSynch Residential SmartMeters Throughout Texas Market

First Mass Residential Deployment Utilizing a Cellular Network Propelled by Unprecedented 99.96% Average Daily Read Rate Achieved During 10,000 Unit Trial Deployment Across Urban and Rural Texas

JACKSON, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SmartSynch, Inc., a smart grid technology company utilizing standard IP communications via public wireless networks, announced today that Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP) has selected SmartSynch’s Residential SmartMeter™ solution for a 231,000 unit point-to-point deployment to residential customers throughout the utility’s Texas market. This will mark the first mass residential deployment of smart metering solutions that use a public wireless network as the communications backbone. Such networks allow the utility to bring efficient, secure smart grid technology to homes across multiple geographies – from dense, urban cities to remote, rural communities – all at lower cost and with greater flexibility to incorporate new technology in the future. TNMP filed a formal request to the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) on May 26, 2010.

TNMP’s decision was propelled by the exceptional performance of SmartSynch’s initial 10,000 unit deployment in 2009, during which an unprecedented 99.96% average daily read rate was achieved across multiple Texas geographies. The deployment supported the collection of billing reads, remote service connect/disconnect capabilities and real-time event alarm notification. The SmartSynch solution was utilized to perform the first remote move-in and move-out service requests in the state of Texas.

This new 231,000 unit deployment will enable TNMP to monitor and identify trends on customer usage data in 15-minute intervals, expand capabilities to support energy management, and provide a Home Area Network (HAN) communications gateway enabling retail energy providers to manage demand response and energy efficiency activities. TNMP customers will gain the ability to monitor and regulate electricity usage via the Internet and home devices. SmartSynch’s technology will also help TNMP provide faster and safer response to customer service requests and power outages, while reducing its meter reading, work order costs and overall carbon footprint resulting from lower truck use.

“The service, reliability, speed and ease of deployment, and performance we experienced during the trial surpassed our expectations, and made this an easy decision,” said Neal Walker, vice president, Texas Operations for TNMP. “In the last 12 months, we have consistently achieved a near-perfect, uninterrupted read rate regardless of where the SmartSynch SmartMeter units were deployed. Additionally, public wireless networks offer the greatest bandwidth available – enabling fast, secure and scalable functionality at a price competitive with any available alternative.”

“Today, everything changes in terms of the future of smart grid communications, as TNMP’s decision completely validates using public wireless networks for residential smart metering,” said Stephen Johnston, SmartSynch’s chief executive officer. “Commercial wireless carriers now realize the growth opportunity, and have radically reduced their pricing to make our solutions more cost effective than mesh network solutions.”

About SmartSynch

SmartSynch has been the only provider of standard, IP communicating end-to-end smart grid solutions utilizing public wireless networks for the utility industry since 2000. Our clean-tech innovations in the two-way delivery of real-time energy usage data over public wireless networks, in lieu of proprietary networks, have to-date simplified deployments for 100 major North American utilities, while enabling their clean-energy initiatives and delivering greater Returns on Resources.

As a smart grid infrastructure company, SmartSynch’s IP-based solutions are capable of delivering grid intelligence to and from any device. Our products and services include SmartMeters™ and SmartBoxes™ that immediately IP-enable the grid, software solutions, and network management services for utilities and their customers, as well as clean-tech companies in need of remote communications and control functionality for products ranging from solar panels to plug-in hybrid vehicles. For more information, visit www.smartsynch.com and follow SmartSynch on Twitter at www.twitter.com/smartsynch.

About TNMP

TNMP, a subsidiary of PNM Resources, provides electrical transmission and distribution services to 76 cities and more than 230,000 customers throughout the state of Texas. TNMP is owned by PNM Resources (NYSE: PNM), an energy holding company based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In 2007, TNMP’s New Mexico operations merged with PNM. PNM is New Mexico’s largest electricity utility, serving 485,000 electricity customers in about 100 communities. Find out more about TNMP by visiting www.tnmp.com.

CONTACT:

SmartSynch
Chris Myers, 601-209-1315
cmyers@smartsynch.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Mississippi  Texas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Energy  Utilities  Technology  Networks  Telecommunications  Mobile/Wireless

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