MUNICIPAL UTILITIES

All municipal utilities – water, gas, electric, deliver vital services for customers – a service to which customers expect to have access to all the time.  Some of the key challenges shared by utilities include reliability, fast response to problems, and conservation.  Many communities have moved towards installation of “smart meters” which can be read and monitored centrally, saving time and cost while improving customer service.

Typically for water and gas, Automated Meter Reading (AMR) systems are used to connect smart meters and provide one-way communications often replacing manual or drive-by solutions.

Smart Grid is a term used for the modernization of the electric grid, improving its efficiency, security, reliability and resiliency.  Smart electric meters and sensors communicate via an Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and are the first step for cities in participating in the Smart Grid.  AMI provides two-way communications and centralized management as well as enabling new applications such as demand response, outage management, distribution automation, automatic load shedding, and the ability to manage alternative energy sources.

Smart metering benefits for municipal utilities include:

• Lower operating costs - Fewer personnel required in the field, lowering transportation, insurance, and medical costs. Detailed data uncovers problems quickly and reduces fraud.
• Encourages conservation - Customers can see their usage at any time, helping conservation efforts, and quickly detecting water leaks or faulty thermostats so corrective action can be quickly taken.
• Improves customer service and satisfaction - Utilities can pinpoint system problems - leaks or outages - before customers report them, reducing downtime.
• Reduces customer complaints - High-quality, real-time data increases billing accuracy, eliminating estimated bills, and unpleasant surprises for customers.

High-speed wireless broadband access with Tropos and its Troposphere Solution Partners are being used to centralize meter reading, achieve significant cost savings and meet conservation goals. Some examples include:

• Corpus Christi, Texas expects to save $30 million over the next 20 years with their AMR system for gas and water
• Anderson, Indiana is using smart meters for water and electricity and expects to save $18.7M over 15-years
• Rock Hill, South Carolina is using smart meters for water and electric meter reading; expected payback in 8 years