Aclara TWACS Technology Advantages
Works on existing data transmission infrastructure
Owning the Aclara TWACS Technology power line communication network provides multiple competitive advantages. The system allows you to manage your data-collection process and control critical interval data. You can reduce risk by not depending on a third party’s proprietary system to carry the data or provide it when you need it.
Provides 100% service territory coverage
Aclara TWACS Technology achieves the highest coverage in the industry, particularly for geographically diverse utilities. Since the utility’s existing power lines are used "as is," coverage exists, for the most part, everywhere the power flows. All the rich features of Aclara TWACS Technology are available in urban, suburban, and rural areas including immediate on-request reads, daily or hourly interval data, load control, or connect/disconnect service.
Supports demand response, utility requirements, and customer expectations
Aclara TWACS Technology is a scalable system that provides the data needed by utilities to meet technical and customer-service expectations. The system provides:
- Support for demand response including critical peak pricing and time-of-use
- Data collection at 15-minute intervals
- Load control data for load forecasting and pricing
- Load profiling to allow retrievable billing
- Two-way data transfer for recording peak demand and remote reset
- Immediate integration of consumption data into your billing system.
Offers system management through line monitoring
Aclara TWACS Technology monitors outages and significantly decreases restoration time by verifying where and when power is restored. Its ability to monitor instantaneous line voltage not only helps to determine the need for capacitor switching and/or voltage regulation, but provides targeted phase and feeder identification for restoring power. Utilities can utilize Aclara TWACS Technology to turn potential penalties into improved earnings by establishing a metrics-based service quality improvement program.
Tracks energy diversion
With Aclara TWACS Technology, utilities have a unique means for tracking energy diversion and correcting theft, which cost utilities up to $10 billion a year and reduce profits up to 30% *. The system’s tamper detection feature quickly identifies customers whose energy usage has significantly changed or whose meter is in a reverse rotation mode.
* Energy Service Fraud "A Guide to Utility Automation—AMR, SCADA & IT," Michael Wiebe, Pennwell Publishing
Reduces service calls
Aclara TWACS Technology can reduce the costs of service calls, which can add up once hourly labor minimums, overhead, vehicle, and benefit costs are calculated. Use Aclara TWACS Technology to remotely perform:
- Meter re-reads, verifications, and justifications
- On-request reads (deliverable within 20 seconds of request)
- Service connects and disconnects
- Tamper and/or theft of service checks
- Weather-related calls
- Determination of scope and probable cause of outages
- Service restoration monitoring
- Equipment maintenance responses