Silver Spring Networks’ Expanded Distribution Automation Solution Leverages Proven Unified Platform

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Silver Spring Networks announced today the launch of its newly enhanced Distribution Automation (DA) solution. Built upon the Silver Spring IPv6 Smart Energy Platform, this commercially available release delivers on the stringent performance requirements for DA applications and adds new comprehensive management and security features. The DA communications solution is the latest offering from Silver Spring that demonstrates the value of its unified infrastructure, the Smart Energy Platform. Today’s announcement is the result of years of extensive testing, including field deployments by Silver Spring client American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP).

“AEP was keenly interested in leveraging the Silver Spring Advanced Metering network technology as a springboard to Distribution Automation since utilizing common infrastructure and back office systems eliminates duplicate deployment efforts and lowers overall operations and maintenance costs”

In 2008, AEP began deployments of Advanced Metering and DA in its Ohio service territory through its AEP Ohio gridSMART^SM Demonstration Project and has been instrumental to verifying system performance. "AEP was keenly interested in leveraging the Silver Spring Advanced Metering network technology as a springboard to Distribution Automation since utilizing common infrastructure and back office systems eliminates duplicate deployment efforts and lowers overall operations and maintenance costs,” said Scott Osterholt, Manager, Advanced Distribution Facilities and gridSMART Project Leader for AEP Ohio.

By concentrating its efforts on a single unified network instead of separate communications systems, AEP Ohio enabled a number of smart grid applications to share the benefits from a single investment, lowering the total cost of ownership of AEP's gridSMART initiative. A single Silver Spring network in Columbus, Ohio supports AMI, volt/VAr optimization, automated feeder restoration, distribution asset management, and, soon, Community Energy Storage applications.

The Silver Spring DA communications solution includes a full range of hardware, software and services including:

IP-based networking devices including eBridges and sBridges that support DNP3.0
GridScape management software
Bridge Configurator software support tools
DA-specific services for network design, device deployment, and managed services
Support for DA devices from numerous DA equipment providers including S&C Electric Company, Cooper Power Systems and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

GridScape, Silver Spring’s software application for managing network devices, delivers utility-grade network management for DA communications, including device configuration, monitoring, over-the-air firmware upgrades, dynamic maps and a historical database for trending.

In addition, the Silver Spring DA solution offers integrative and defense-in-depth security capabilities. The security features include multiple layers of access control and authorization, secure machine-to-machine authentication and communications, and IPsec encryption. These extensive security techniques simplify utility compliance with standards such as NERC CIP. Silver Spring has also demonstrated interoperability with a number of firewall companies for IPsec termination.

“The open, scalable, and extensible nature of our IP-based Smart Energy Platform delivers great value to our customers,” said Raj Vaswani, Silver Spring’s Chief Technical Officer. “They can quickly and easily deploy additional smart grid applications over a common infrastructure. Extending an initial AMI investment to deliver DA communications, with the resulting capital and operational savings, exemplifies the value of a unified smart grid platform.”

About Silver Spring Networks

Silver Spring Networks is a leading smart grid solution provider that enables utilities to achieve operational efficiencies, reduce carbon emissions and empower their customers with new ways to monitor and manage their energy consumption. Silver Spring provides the hardware, software and services that allow utilities to deploy and run multiple applications, including Smart Metering, Demand Response, Distribution Automation and Distributed Generation, over a unified network. Silver Spring’s Smart Energy Platform is based on open, Internet Protocol (IP) standards, allowing continuous, two-way communication between the utility and devices on the grid. Silver Spring has numerous deployments with leading utilities in the US and abroad, including Florida Power & Light, Pacific Gas & Electric, Pepco Holdings, Inc., American Electric Power, Baltimore Gas and Electric, CitiPower/PowerCor, Jemena Electricity Networks Limited and United Energy Distribution, among others. For additional information, please visit www.silverspringnetworks.com.