Tait Electronics has been awarded a contract by Minnesota Power in Duluth, Minnesota to engineer, furnish and install a TaitNet MPT 1327 network solution.

The network will be 440-480MHz and will encompass 43 sites along with unique TaitNet redundancy features to assure network availability.

According to Michael Chick, Managing Director of Tait Electronics, the TaitNet MPT 1327 system was chosen by Minnesota Power for its flexibility to handle the voice and data/AVL solution needs that are required.

With the contract in place, Tait expects installation of the system to begin in the second quarter of 2008 with completion planned for 2009.

Tait Radio Communications is a leading international manufacturer and provider of worldclass mobile voice and data communications equipment. Tait Radio Communications, a subsidiary of Tait Electronics, Ltd. based in Christchurch, New Zealand, has been a
growing presence in the North American radio communications market for more than 20 years.

Minnesota Power, a division of ALLETE, provides electricity in a 41,843-square-kilometre electric service territory located in northeastern Minnesota. Minnesota Power supplies retail electric service to 141,000 retail customers and wholesale electric service to 16 municipalities. Transmission and distribution components include 4,268 kilometres of lines and 169 substations.

Minnesota Power's transmission network is interconnected with the transmission grid to promote reliability and is part of a larger regional transmission organisation called the Midwest Independent System Operator. For more information visit www.mnpower.com.