STMicroelectronics (ST) announced that its new STarGRID™ ST7590 power-line communication (PLC) System-on-Chip (SoC) is being used in advanced Automatic Meter Management (AMM) equipment in the new ’STAR Project’ in Spain.
Based on the PRIME (PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution) standard, the ’STAR Project’ is the advanced metering infrastructure program from the IBERDROLA utility company. By early 2011, approximately 100,000 PRIME-compliant smart meters will have been being installed by IBERDOLA in the city of Castellon in Spain in the first deployment. More than 10 million are expected to be deployed over the next few years in Spain. The AMM equipment that employs ST’s STarGRID ST7590 SoC has passed all PRIME-compliancy certification tests, performed by KEMA, the international certification body.