Oracle's Smart Grid Software to Link Utilities Operations and Consumer Access to...

Oracle's Smart Grid Software to Link Utilities Operations and Consumer Access
to Detailed Consumption Data

Pragmatic Approach Enables Utilities to Begin to Recognize Smart Grid Benefits
Prior to Full Smart Grid Deployment

WASHINGTON, May 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CS WEEK 2009 --

News Facts

-- Oracle Utilities announced the introduction of Oracle's smart grid
software - an end-to-end software offering including mission-critical
applications and back-end technology infrastructure. The products are
designed to support utilities as they work to optimize the value of
their smart grid components today while advancing toward a complete
smart grid build out that leverages advances in IT, communications
technology and energy technology to improve delivery
utilization/resilience and empower consumers to address environmental
concerns.
-- Oracle offers a pragmatic approach to smart grid deployment, allowing
utilities to begin recognizing the benefits of the smart grid now,
while
supporting a transition to a full smart grid architecture in the
future,
with lower cost and risk.
-- Oracle's smart grid software is a comprehensive, multi-solution
software offering that addresses the two sides of the smart grid
paradigm - allowing utilities to choose how to manage their operations
and provide information to consumers to enable them to make better
energy usage decisions.
-- The offering helps to support cross-utility business processes, such
as
implementation of demand response and energy conservation programs
that
help utilities control and conserve power, take advantage of renewable
energy and deliver information to end consumers to empower decision
making. It also helps to accelerate and improve grid maintenance as
well as repair and sizing, while enabling compliance with regulatory
changes and accommodation of emerging standards.

-- In the recent Oracle survey, "Turning Information Into Power:
Moving Toward the Smart Grid," the vast majority of consumers
surveyed reported concern about the energy costs at their primary
residence and are interested in receiving more detailed information
about their energy use. Also, utilities managers surveyed believe it
is
critical that the United States adopt smart grid technologies.
However,
only 16 percent of the utilities surveyed have begun the
implementation
of smart grid technologies.

Oracle's Smart Grid Software Details

-- Oracle's smart grid software unifies information from various
segments of the Smart Grid network, including service delivery,
customer
interaction and consumer energy usage. Components of Oracle(R) Fusion
Middleware underlie these applications with processes that help
integrate and manage large meter data batch files with Oracle Data
Integrator or automate meter and sensor data filtering and front-end
processing using Oracle Complex Event Processing. The solution also
provides standards-based integration with a technology infrastructure
that includes Oracle Database, as well as software for project
management and enterprise analytics. Oracle's smart grid software
includes the following solutions:
-- Oracle(R) Utilities Network Management System - Integrates with
advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), allowing utilities to
proactively respond to outages and be more precise when providing
consumer alerts and notifications - enabling the smart meter to
send
a "last gasp" message to report a power loss thus
eliminating the need for a customer to report the outage. Oracle
Utilities Network Management System also supports automated
isolation of faulted feeder sections and the re-energizing of
un-faulted sections, minimizing sustained outages. Its integrated
distribution capability supports the continual assessment of power
delivery and available feeder capacity in a distribution network
that optimizes operations.
-- Oracle(R) Utilities Customer Care and Billing - Allows utilities
to
harness the benefits of new smart grid technologies and AMI, such
as
two-way communications, to better contain operational costs and
control consumer energy demand through conservation and time-based
pricing programs, as well as improve customer service and
environmental awareness. It can provide customers with a clear
picture of the relationship between their consumption and
environmental impact, then offer service options to help change
behavior.
-- Oracle(R) Utilities Load Analysis - Performs peak load analysis,
including coincidental peak demand analysis by customer rate
class.
This solution also balances premise level loads to system loads,
incorporating variable, fixed losses and unaccounted for energy.
-- Oracle(R) Utilities Work and Asset Management - Provides complete
asset lifecycle management, which can ultimately extend the life
of
aging assets, enable utilities to manage network renewal projects,
and enhance cost control and visibility while improving system
reliability and customer service. In addition, by monitoring and
performing maintenance on a timely basis, utilities can reduce the
environmental impact resulting from equipment failure.
-- Oracle(R) Utilities Mobile Workforce Management - Supports efforts
to ensure service availability and automate field operations via
dispatch, scheduling and routing. It provides field workers the
optimal route with the least mileage and fewest truck rolls, which
helps reduce fuel consumption, highway congestion and tailpipe
emissions.
-- Oracle Utilities Meter Data Management - Provides a centralized,
robust system to support smart grid and green initiatives by
connecting AMI usage data and presentment tools, so consumers can
view their usage - allowing them to make informed conservation
decisions. Utilities can also configure the application to
support
demand response programs including: customer recruitment, event
planning, event notification and compliance.
-- Oracle(R) Hyperion Performance Management applications and
Oracle(R)
Primavera applications - Leverage comprehensive performance and
project management functionality to enable the planning,
scheduling
and installation of utility-controlled renewable devices - such as
solar panels on homes and buildings.
-- Oracle Database - Scales to tackle exponential growth in data and
enables utilities to more effectively manage network operational
data to improve performance.

-- Oracle Governance, Risk and Compliance - Simplifies compliance
with
NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation) and FERC
(U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) with an enterprise GRC
platform for standards and policy documentation; risk-based
assessment; and closed-loop remediation, certification, and
reporting. Integrated controls monitoring also enforce
segregation
of duties to reduce the risk of improper access and fraudulent
activities.

Supporting Quotes
-- "As utilities move toward leveraging the power of the smart grid,
Oracle is prepared to support the industry with the tools they need to
manage operations agilely and communicate rapidly with consumers for
maximum efficiency. The flexibility and scalability of our smart grid
software, as well as Oracle's broad software offering, enable both
immediate benefits now and an easier transition to a full smart grid
architecture in the future," said Quentin Grady, senior vice
president and general manager, Oracle Utilities.
-- "Utilities face many challenges as they make the move toward the
smart grid - from providing consumers with actionable information
about
their energy use, to preparing to accept new renewable energy sources
into the grid. Utilities can maximize success by developing detailed
transition plans, securing buy-in from stakeholders and implementing
integrated, standards-based technology. We have been very impressed
by
the initial 'smart grid' strides made by Oracle's utility
R&D team in its evolving Oracle Utilities Network Management System
suite. Oracle's end-to-end solution - from back-end database to
mission-critical applications - can help support both the
'traditional' IT computing requirements and the operational
computing requirements of electric utilities as they take the first
steps," said Chuck Newton, president, Newton-Evans Research
Company.

-- "Applications software, along with intelligent devices and
communications networks, is one of three critical technology
components
of the smart grid. It enables utilities to turn large volumes of
real-time data into actionable information they can use to implement
demand response programs, integrate renewable and distributed energy
resources and improve grid operations. The software required for the
smart grid includes both new applications such as meter data
management
and advanced analytics, as well as modifications and updates to
existing
applications such as customer information systems and distribution
management systems," said Rick Nicholson, vice president, Energy
Insights, an IDC company.

Supporting Resources
-- Oracle Utilities
-- Oracle Whitepaper: Smart Grid Basics
-- Oracle Utilities Resource Page - Brochures, Datasheets, Whitepapers
and
Articles

-- Recent articles on Oracle Utilities

About Oracle Utilities
Oracle Utilities delivers the proven software applications that help utilities
achieve competitive advantage, business performance excellence and a lower
total cost of technology ownership. Oracle Utilities integrates
industry-specific customer care and billing, network management, work and
asset management, mobile workforce management and meter data management
applications with the capabilities of Oracle's industry-leading enterprise
applications, business intelligence tools, middleware and database
technologies. Oracle Utilities enables its customers to adapt more nimbly to
market deregulation, meet ever-evolving customer demands, and deliver on
commitments to environmental conservation. For more information, visit
http://www.oracle.com/industries/utilities.

About Oracle
Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) is the world's largest business software company. For
more information about Oracle, please visit our Web site at
http://www.oracle.com.

Trademark
Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates.
Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020718/ORCLLOGO)

SOURCE Oracle Corporation

Carol Sato of Oracle Corporation, +1-650-633-5551, Carol.sato@oracle.com; or
Janice Hazen of O'Keeffe & Company, +1-770-938-4753, jhazen@okco.com, for
Oracle Corporation