While workers at the Itron site in Chasseneuil-du-Poitou are gradually leaving the company, whose closure is scheduled for the end of this year 2024, a new activity has just started in part of the workshops.
Former director of the site from 2008 to 2012, during the glorious era of the launch of the Linky smart meter, William Hosono returns as manager of an SME, Pulsadis, which intends to develop a branch of activity sold to him by Itron.
Still useful despite Linky
Pulsadis is a specialist in load management systems (CMS): an already proven technology, which allows electricity suppliers to manage tariff changes for their customers.
Since its implementation in most homes, the Linky communicating meter has advantageously replaced SGCs. However, these remain used in residual cases of unconnected water heaters, in homes not yet equipped with Linky and, more significantly, for the management of public lighting. Pulsadis cabinets are also sold in many countries: Hungary, Greece, Morocco, etc.
A tool of the future to manage solar electricity production
If the purchase of the Pulsadis brand interested William Hosono and his associates (including four executives of the new SME), it is because they saw more than interesting development possibilities in this technology.
In the short term, explains William Hosono, electricity suppliers will be faced with a difficulty: managing the overproduction of photovoltaic installations in summer when the sun shines a lot and users consume little.
To offload clusters of photovoltaic roofs as closely as possible, taking into account these two criteria, production and consumption, Pulsadis offers a promising solution whose development is in its early stages.
Local subcontractors
William Hosono initially recruited around ten Itron employees. The activity started at the beginning of May: the aim is to continue supplying traditional customers with the large electronic cabinets they need, cabinets whose envelope is manufactured by Gape, a local SME in Vouneuil-sous-Biard.
Thanks to the continuation of this activity, William Hosono and his team, supported by the banks, by the BPi and by the Region, will be able to continue to develop their new concept: the release of the first demonstrators could take place in 2026 or 2027. With the result, we hope, of numerous job creations. For the Itron site, this is currently one of the rare rays of hope.
