Hudson Light & Power is upgrading customer AMR (Automated Meter Reading) meters with new AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) devices. Both metering types provide electric readings electronically to the utility. Currently, readings are collected with drive-by and hand-held devices and uploaded to a server. With AMI, readings will be automatically collected by “gateways” situated strategically across the system.
There are many benefits to AMI for both the consumer and the utility:
Improved Customer Service – Meter readings will be able to be obtained instantaneously for billing, customer questions, etc. instead of sending a meter technician to the site.
Outage Management and Communications – The system will send alerts if a meter is not operating and/or power is out to a neighborhood, greatly enhancing outage response time and facilitating communications during outage situations. This also eliminates the need for customers to report outages since the system will be continuously monitoring every meter.
Demand Management – AMI’s Time of Use component offers the ability to expand rate offerings, reduce peak demands and related costs, and offer customers increased savings.
Hudson Light & Power will notify customers when actual meter changes take place in their neighborhoods.
For further information on AMI, see https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/12/f34/AMI%20Summary%20Report_09-26-16.pdf
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