Copper theft is a global problem affecting many industries and nations. It is especially costly for utilities companies in which copper is the main component for distributing and grounding electrical power. Within the United States utilities industry, spikes in copper prices over the years have driven increases in copper theft, bringing security concerns to the …
Tag Archives: Utilities
Rugged Toughbook 31s Help Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative Keep Power Running
When you are responsible for providing electric service during rain or shine to roughly 150,000 customers in Southern Maryland, it is critical to have the most reliable mobile solution for keeping workers connected in the field. When tasked with finding the ideal technology, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) selected Panasonic’s fully-rugged Toughbook 30 laptops for …
Italian Utility Company Enel Maximizes Smart Grid Installation with Rugged Computers
Enel is one of the largest European utility providers, with a home base in Italy and subsidiaries in Spain, Russia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. In fact, Enel was the first utility company to roll out a large-scale smart metering project in Europe. The company’s rollout started at the beginning of the decade. By 2005, …
Centrica PLC Relies on Toughbook H1 Field to Aid in Smart Meter Installations
Centrica PLC is one of Europe’s largest energy providers, with a main presence in the U.K. (the British Gas brand). The company provides electricity and gas supply and technical services to around 14 million residential households and one million commercial customers. In 2009, Centrica began rolling out smart meters to its customers – the first …
Rugged Mobile Computing and Smart Meters: A Reliable, Efficient Combination
Governments around the world continue to move quickly towards a smart metering system for residential homes and businesses to help users measure their power consumption and send that data back to the utility for billing and analysis. According to a recent report, “The Role of Rugged PCs in Successful Rollouts of Smart Metering Systems,” by …
