ST. LOUIS/ Anderson, IN. – April 17, 2013 – Anderson Municipal Light and Power has announced plans to implement the Two-Way Automatic Communication System (TWACS) power-line from Aclara Technologies LLC to read electric meters. The utility will employ the system to reduce costs and improve service to the almost 56,000 residents of Anderson, Ind., a city about 25 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Aclara® is a leader in Intelligent Infrastructure solutions and part of the Utility Solutions Group of ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ESE).

The utility will implement a TWACS advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) upgrade to offer Anderson customers more control in lowering their electric bill. The TWACS upgrade being implemented allows customers to track electric consumption, helping them identify and cut back on expensive areas of usage.

TWACS technology offers a green alternative to monthly meter reads, providing billing data at one-hour intervals to the utility and allowing the utility to get a more detailed picture of how its customers use electricity. Data provided by the TWACS AMI solution will allow Anderson Municipal Light and Power to better understand patterns of usage and identify programs that can reduce system peaks and keep costs low. Meters on the TWACS system can also be connected automatically, allowing the utility to eliminate costs related to rolling trucks.

“Aclara’s TWACS technology will give Anderson Municipal Light and Power more flexibility in instituting programs that will help customers save money,” said Mayor Kevin S. Smith. “For example, an additional benefit from TWACS is that the utility eventually could institute prepay systems with no additional fees, giving customers more choice in determining how their electricity is delivered.”

Six years ago the city entered into a guaranteed savings program using Aclara’s STAR® Network solution to read the City’s 25,000 water meters. Since installation of Aclara’s STAR Network system, Anderson’s water department has significantly improved the accuracy of its water-meter readings and has virtually eliminated inaccurate estimated reads during winter months when meter pits are covered with snow. Now the water department gets 98.5 percent of its reads every month.

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ELWOOD, IN – Mayor Ron Arnold announced today the city will be conducting an analysis of it’s, Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats along with a new business attraction campaign.  According to Mayor Arnold, “It’s important that as a city we know how we stack up as compared to the rest of the state, and work to make sure businesses know about the opportunities we have here in Elwood.”

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 Anderson, IN—Kim Williams has recently joined United Way of Madison County as Vice President for Resource Development. Williams takes on her new position after working closely with many local non-profits in her capacity as Director of XL Marketing over the past 15 years.

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The Board of Directors of United Way of Madison County today approved a community support budget of $1,092,320, with nearly $850,000 of direct investment to the community and $245,000 of leveraged support from outside sources. The budget includes funding of more than $475,000 to 25 programs at 21 community organizations and donor designated gifts to agencies of more than $131,000.

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