"The agreement with Duke Energy is Badger Meter's first major win in the natural gas industry," said Richard A. Meeusen, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Badger Meter. "While we have won smaller contracts, this win demonstrates the long-term benefits, flexibility and compatibility of our ORION RF system for the natural gas market. We look forward to building on this win to further expand our position in the natural gas industry."

The Badger ORION transmitter for gas meters is a totally integrated unit that mounts directly on the gas meter. Using one-way, bubble-up radio-frequency technology, ORION transmits meter readings to collectors, which then upload the readings to the utility. The Badger ORION RF system was originally developed for the water utility market and is currently being used by water utilities across the U.S. Based on the strong customer response to ORION's many features and benefits, the system was adapted for the gas utility market.

About Duke Energy

Duke Energy is one of the largest energy companies in the United States. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately four million customers located in five states -- North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky -- representing a population of approximately 11 million people. Duke Energy's commercial power and international business segments operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com. More information on Duke Energy's smart grid is available at: http://smartenergynewsroom.com.

About Badger Meter

Badger Meter is a leading manufacturer and marketer of products incorporating liquid flow measurement and control technologies, developed both internally and with other technology companies, as well as the leader in providing digital connectivity to AMR/AMI technologies.