Laying the foundation for our Smart Grid
We're setting the stage for our very own Smart Grid, nearing completion of our Automated Meter Reading (AMR) project. With these new smart meters, we can monitor, control and better manage our utility systems to provide operational, financial and environmental benefits.
Four current and future components of our evolving Smart Grid:
1. Automated Meter Reading (AMR)/Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)
Since 2005, we have replaced more than 80 percent of the meters in Colorado Springs with new automated meters. The project is scheduled for completion this year.
Using wireless radio transmitters, AMR remotely reads customer meters and transfers the data directly into the billing system. AMR will reduce the need for meter readers to manually gather utility meter readings each month. Many utilities are using AMR as a way to improve customer service and control their meter reading costs, especially in areas with fenced yards, dogs, landscaping and other issues that make accessing meters difficult or unsafe.
2. Distribution Automation
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.
We partnered with General Electric to install a new Smart Grid tool, an Outage Management System (OMS), to help us respond quicker to power outages and provide our customers with timely restoration time estimates. OMS will expedite the restoration process by identifying outage locations and immediately dispatching crews to the location.
OMS will reduce the outage impacts to our customers and provide better and more frequent communication to them. It will also track outages in more real-time and ultimately get the power on faster.
Once AMR is complete, OMS will integrate into our smart metering infrastructure for an all inclusive package.
3. Customer Energy Management
Residential customers will adjust their central air conditioning thermostat via the web and commercial customers will see consumption data up to the previous day or actual day, providing customers with consumption data up to the day before.
4. Distributed and Renewable Generation
We're helping our customers establish hydro, wind, solar and geothermal systems for added efficiency, cost savings and environmental protection.
