Otter Tail Power Company Receives CS Week Excellence Award for Analytics Project with Itron

Midwestern Utility Recognized for Efforts to Improve Outage Detection

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. — May 3, 2018 — Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), a world-leading technology and services company dedicated to the resourceful use of energy and water, announced that its customer, Otter Tail Power Company (OTPCo), won an Expanding Excellence Award for best analytics project at CS Week 2018 for its work with Itron to monitor for service interruptions and improve outage detection. OTPCo is an investor-owned utility that provides electricity to customers in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The award recognizes utilities that successfully complete a project that optimized analytics to address, remediate or enhance customer service. Utilizing Itron’s smart grid technology, analytics and managed services, OTPCo is improving outage response. The company received this recognition for improving grid reliability and restoration efforts for its more than 130,000 customers with Itron’s technology. 

OTPCo enlisted Itron to deliver reliability and real-time, outage-related outcomes through a managed services approach utilizing Itron Total Outcomes™, a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and managed services offering. Itron hosts the data, delivers reports and provides analysis to OTPCo in addition to providing reading services, outage reporting and billing data. This enables OTPCo’s operations team to focus on its priorities while letting Itron handle the management of the system.  

“With Itron’s solution and managed services, we’re able to know when, what, where and why service interruptions occur, improving our ability to initiate immediate and effective responses,” said Rod Jensen, Otter Tail Power Company reliability engineer. “With this cloud-based managed services approach, we’re taking the initial steps to improving grid reliability and efficiency while enhancing customer service and reducing site visits.”  

“With help from Itron, OTPCo has immediate awareness of service interruptions, which empowers the company to quickly respond and provide better service to its large, rural service territory,” said Bruce Douglas, senior vice president of service delivery and outcomes enablement at Itron. “There is no doubt that Otter Tail Power Company’s innovative project will not only affect future efficiencies at the utility, but also deliver increased customer satisfaction. The company is very deserving of this award.”

About Otter Tail Power Company

Otter Tail Power Company, a subsidiary of Otter Tail Corporation, is headquartered in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. With balanced commitment to environmental, economic, and community stewardship, the company provides electricity and energy services to more than a quarter million people in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. To learn more about Otter Tail Power Company visit otpco.com. To learn more about Otter Tail Corporation visit ottertail.com.

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About Itron

Itron enables utilities and cities to safely, securely and reliably deliver critical infrastructure solutions to communities in more than 100 countries. Our portfolio of smart networks, software, services, meters and sensors helps our customers better manage electricity, gas and water resources for the people they serve. By working with our customers to ensure their success, we help improve the quality of life, ensure the safety and promote the well-being of millions of people around the globe. Itron is dedicated to creating a more resourceful world. Join us: www.itron.com.

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