"The Itron/Duke Energy meter deal is not a replacement for Echelon meters. This project is for the meter forms that Echelon does not supply to Duke, such as C&I meters. Echelon has been aware of this project since the beginning, and views these as “filler” or “gap” meters that are complementary to the main stream residential metering implementation. Echelon has installed more than 500,000 meters at Duke Energy in Ohio, which is a majority of Duke Ohio’s installed base. This is not a pilot, this is a nearly completed rollout which is viewed as a success. At the end of 2011, Duke Energy and an independent auditor to the Ohio PUC confirmed the benefits enabled by Echelon’s system, in particular, the high level of accuracy and extended functionality of the meters.

The project referred to in Jesse's article that was cancelled in November of last year was the Edge Control Node, a next-generation smart meter data concentrator that Duke had ordered from Echelon. This was primarily to be deployed in Indiana where regulatory approvals have been delayed. The cancellation had nothing to do with the performance of Echelon powerline technology."

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Jesse Berst is the founder and chief analyst of Smart Grid News.com, the industry's oldest and largest smart grid site. A frequent keynoter at industry events in the U.S. and abroad, he also serves on advisory committees for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Institute for Electric Efficiency. He often provides strategic consulting to large corporations and venture-backed startups. He is a member of the advisory boards of GridGlo and Calico Energy Services.