Ferranti Computer Systems and Indexis Sign a Contract Valued at more than 6 Million Euros
- PRESSRELEASE -
The contract provides in the supply of hardware and software for collecting, processing and forwarding measurement data in a free energy market
Antwerp / Mechelen — January 2003 — Ferranti Computer Systems announces the award of a contract with a value of more than 6 million euros by Indexis, an independent metering company founded by the mixed intermunicipal companies of Belgium (which act as distribution system operators in the deregulated energy market). This contract encompasses the purchase of an information system for collecting and managing measurement data from roughly 4 million electricity customers, 2 million natural gas customers and 0.5 million water customers and providing this data to the market players (including suppliers, balance authorities, the Transmission System Operator (Elia), the natural gas transport company (Fluxys) and the distribution system operators).
Ferranti Computer Systems will supply not only the software and hardware for the central system, but also the network infrastructure needed to collect the measurement data and convert it into an understandable 'language' for the various market players. In addition, Ferranti will supply approximately 200 handheld devices for meter readers, which will communicate with the central system via GPRS. The existing MV 90 system will be used to make daily telemeasurements for approximately 10,000 customers with a connected capacity of more than 100 kVA. Finally, the contract also includes the complete project management and installation. The hardware and software to be supplied (including database and application servers, Storage Area Network hardware, database technology, Real Application Cluster Tolerance, Service Online and financial packages) originate from HP and Oracle.
The basis for the central Metering and Contract Management System (MECOMS®) was developed by Ferranti to meet the various needs of companies in the liberalised energy market. MECOMS® consists of a central database and a framework of applications used to collect and manage measurement data. The databases are feeded with measurement data from telemeasurement systems and manual meter readings. In addition to the central metering database, which includes several standard functions, MECOMS® consists of a number of modules that can be configured and combined according to the specific needs of the customer.
For several years already, Ferranti has held a significant position in the Dutch energy market as a supplier of similar information systems. In the past five years, Ferranti's sales revenue has increased by a factor of seven due to new demand created by the liberalisation of the Dutch energy market. For the development of the system, Ferranti was able to obtain financial assistance from the Flemish Institute for the Promotion of Scientific and Technical Research in Industry (IWT).
“The free energy market imposes new demands on the manner in which measurement data from customers is handled,” according to Mark Masschelin, Director of the independent metering company Indexis. “The strategic importance of this data makes it indispensable to have a stable and reliable information system for processing the data.”
“Being selected as the supplier of the central information system for a strategic metering company such as Indexis, is yet another proof that the powerful concept of the MECOMSreg; system is ideally suited to the highly demanding applications in the liberalised energy market. This order confirms that Ferranti's approach to provide total solutions for specific market segments is the right one,” according to Franky Baert, General Manager of Ferranti Computer Systems.
About Ferranti Computer Systems NV
Ferranti Computer Systems was founded in 1976 as a subsidiary of Ferranti International. Since 1994, Ferranti Computer Systems has been part of the Nijkerk Group, a Dutch enterprise. In addition to the head office in Antwerp, the company has an office in Amsterdam. As early as 1994, Ferranti was one of the first IT companies to achieve ISO 9000-3 certification.
In the increasingly growing world of new technologies, Ferranti brings more than 25 years of experience in system integration, e-business applications, network technology and custom projects for several specific markets, including the energy and utilities market, the public transport market, industrial applications and service companies.
Ferranti's clients include Monsanto, Fina OleoChemicals, UCB Belgium, Opel Belgium, Huntsman ICI Holland, KPN Telecom, Connexxion, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Essent, Cogas, Nutsbedrijf Westland, Eneco, Reliant Energy, Electrabel, Energie Delfland, Schiphol Airport, Hyplast, Vandemoortele and Kraft Jacobs Suchard.
About Indexis
Indexis, a metering company operating on a federal level, was founded on 24 June 2002 by the mixed intermunicipal companies, which act as distribution system operators in the free energy market. This new cooperative company is a wholly owned subsidiary of these distribution system operators. Its task is to collect data relating to customer consumption, process this data and forward it to the market players (meaning the suppliers, the Transmission System Operator (Elia), the natural gas transport company (Fluxys), the distribution system operators, balance authorities). All of this is to be done in a fully independent, confidential and non-partisan manner, with quality and speed being key factors. In addition to a central platform, this metering company will be organised around three municipal entities: one in Flanders, one in Wallonia and one in Brussels. Meter readings will be effectuated in local sites: four in Flanders, four in Wallonia and one in Brussels.