Categories : Colorado Springs Utilities' Automated Meter Reading (AMR) project is nearing completion, says the utility. These smart meters allow the utility to monitor, control and better manage systems to provide operational, financial and environmental benefits.
The project began four years ago, and there are 80,000 meters left to install, according to Colorado Springs Utilities. At full deployment in 2010, more than 530,000 smart meters are expected to be installed.
Using wireless radio transmitters, AMR remotely reads customer meters and then transfers the data into the billing system, reducing the need for meter readers to manually gather utility meter reads each month. In addition, AMR provides daily meter reads, which has the potential to show customers a true picture of their utilities use so that they can conserve and better manage their bills.
‘We combined AMR, distribution automation, customer energy management and renewable generation to create the beginnings of a smart grid for our customers, much like those across the nation,’ says Gina McCurley, AMR project manager.
In addition, the utility recently partnered with GE for an outage management system (OMS) to help it respond quicker to power outages and provide timely restoration time estimates. OMS will expedite the restoration process by identifying outage locations and immediately dispatching crews to the location.
SOURCE: Colorado Springs Utilities
