Itron is joining forces with the American Samoa Power Authority (Aspa) to modernise its electricity distribution network.

Aspa will deploy Itron’s advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), including smart electric meters, UtilityIQ headend application suite and iPay prepayment software, to improve operational efficiency, billing accuracy and customer satisfaction as part of Aspa’s digital transformation.

The authority provides electricity, water, wastewater and solid waste management services to about 50,000 residents across five islands in the South Pacific. As an isolated island territory, American Samoa must generate all its own electricity and has some of the highest electricity prices in the world. In 2023, the utility’s average electricity price was 3.5 times higher than the US average.

To optimise the delivery of electricity and encourage conservation, Aspa will deploy Itron’s AMI, which will give the utility greater visibility into electricity meter data while empowering customers to reduce their consumption with detailed energy usage insights. This is designed to be flexible, scalable and suitable for the remote island environment, with ongoing firmware updates, technical support and training to ensure long-term operational success.

The deployment includes several Itron technologies designed to perform in American Samoa’s tropical climate:

• Solid-state residential smart meters: Itron’s Gen5 Centron II (na.itron.com/products/gen5-centron-ii) electric smart meter has AMI functionality, enabling applications that reduce field service costs, improve credit management and support services such as prepaid metering.
• Communication network: Itron’s Gen5 network delivers reliable, long-range connectivity with built-in security and distributed intelligence, suitable for a remote island environment.
• IPay integration: To give its customers flexible payment options, Aspa will work with Itron partner iPay for smart payment processing, helping users reduce energy usage and save money through flexible billing.
• Headend software application suite: Itron’s UtilityIQ software will collect and manage consumption data from electricity meters, enabling real-time insights and operational control.

“This project marks a significant step in Aspa’s digital transformation journey, enabling smarter electric management across our geographically dispersed and logistically challenging service territory,” said Isikeli Ongosia from Aspa (www.aspower.com). “We look forward to expanding our collaboration with Itron by deploying its proven, scalable AMI. Together, we will strengthen our overall energy infrastructure while providing our customers with greater insight into their electricity usage and the convenience of digital and prepayment options.”

John Marcolini, senior vice president at Itron (www.itron.com), added: “We’ve previously worked together with Aspa on smaller-scale deployments, most recently to streamline meter reading processes and improve data collection accuracy prior to the transition to AMI. Fast-forward to today, Aspa is undergoing a full-scale digital transformation, and we are thrilled to continue our collaboration to help modernise Aspa’s network and strengthen the grid edge.”