Gentrack wins back Meridian deal from Oracle

Kiwi electricity provider Meridian Energy has dumped a failed, $20 million Oracle implementation, announcing a billing software deal with Gentrack today.

Meridian had planned to install Oracle's Utilities for billing and customer relationship management (CRM). That project was abandoned in November.

The utility now plans to implement Gentrack's Velocity billing and customer information system (CIS) software by the end of 2010 in a deal worth $2.5 million to the Melbourne-based vendor.

"Meridian Energy have used Gentrack software since 1999 and went to market for a replacement several years ago," Gentrack spokesman Aaron Baker explained.

"We have committed to delivering the billing and CIS aspects of Gentrack Velocity by end of 2010, well in advance we believe that any other competitor could deliver - including Oracle and SAP."

Gentrack has agreed to deploy its browser-based retail billing, CIS and collections software, with its CEO James Docking assuring Meridian of a "low risk project that will deliver immediate benefit".

According to the vendor, the companies had been collaborating on project discovery since April, scoping out Meridian's requirements and the validating of the solution to be deployed.

"Reviewing your systems is never an easy task," Docking said in a statement.

"It can take several years to determine the best path forward in a competitive and dynamic environment such as the energy sectors in Australia and New Zealand."

Gentrack currently boasts more than 140 utility customers worldwide.