Itron has been selected by Burlington Electric Department (BED) in Vermont, US, to provide its smart grid solution for the utility's smart grid project.

The municipally-owned electric utility’s smart grid project will include 20,000 Itron smart meters, network communication infrastructure and professional services.

BED will utilize an American Recovery and Reinvestment smart grid investment grant secured through Vermont Transco to fund the project, which is scheduled to be complete in early 2013.

BED power resources manager Ken Nolan said BED sought technology to improve system planning and reliability, improve customer service, and reduce costs.

"With Itron’s solution, we can achieve these objectives and build a smarter electric grid," Nolan said.

Itron’s smart grid solution will help BED streamline its meter data collection and billing operations and provide more granular system load data.

The solution will give BED the ability to enhance energy forecasting and optimize its distribution system as well as to support future rate structure regulations.