Itron Joins Energyone Offerings

The country’s first one-stop provider of energy, telecommunication and security services Monday added Itron Inc. to its product offerings.

Itron will join companies like AT&T and ADT on a growing roster selected by EnergyOne, which was formed last month by UtiliCorp United Inc. of Kansas City and PECO Energy Co. of Philadelphia.

Itron spokeswoman Mima Scarpelli said the deal, when signed later this year, will give the Spokane Valley company a new distribution channel for its line of meter-reading equipment.

The choice by PECO and UtiliCorp, which together serve more than 3 million meters, also validates Itron as the preferred supplier of automated meter-reading services, she said.

Itron reads fewer than 30,000 meters for the two companies now, Scarpelli said, adding “We would certainly hope to be getting an order from them eventually.” She said EnergyOne was organized to create a national brand for services that consumers could look for no matter where they live.

AT&T, for example, will provide residential telecommunication services, ADT home and business security.

Scarpelli said EnergyOne will, in effect, franchise other utilities that join PECO and UtiliCorp as members. They will be entitled to use the EnergyOne brand, and sign up for the various services brought under the brand’s umbrella.

The service package is expected to improve the competitive position of participating utilities as deregulation transforms the industry, she said.

EnergyOne spokeswoman Linda Peyster Zappulla agreed.

“Brands add enormous value,” she said. “We will be looking to ally ourselves with the preeminent suppliers in every category.”

Zappulla said the founders hope to add four utilities to the group by year-end.

The deal between Itron and EnergyOne is not exclusive, Scarpelli said, but both sides would have to give notice if they plan to enter a similar agreement with an other party. Details of the financial arrangements are still being worked out, she said.

If Itron does sell meters to PECO, the transaction would complete a triple play for the company in Philadelphia. Last month, the city awarded Itron a five-year, $100 million contract for reading its water meters, and the company is already in the process of installing a system for reading its natural gas meters. Itron stock closed Monday unchanged at $26 per share.

, DataTimes