Population 2,000Population 2,0002 Square Mile City2 Square Mile City

Randal Jones

City Mgr

W We’re on the wayeimar

C I T Y O F

MunicipalMunicipal Owned Electrical Owned Electrical UtilityUtility

1,200 Electrical Meters1,200 Electrical Meters

7,200 Volt Distribution7,200 Volt Distribution

100% Above Ground100% Above Ground

5 Customers Per Transformer5 Customers Per Transformer

Why AMI?Why AMI? Provide Better Customer ServiceProvide Better Customer Service

Bill DisputesBill Disputes Customer Can Manage UsageCustomer Can Manage Usage

Better Utilization of Utility PersonnelBetter Utilization of Utility Personnel Don’t Have to Pull Personnel from Utility Dept Don’t Have to Pull Personnel from Utility Dept

to Read Metersto Read Meters Real Time PricingReal Time Pricing

Read Meters When Invoiced from Wholesale Read Meters When Invoiced from Wholesale SupplierSupplier

Manage Electric GridManage Electric Grid Find Outages FasterFind Outages Faster

Challenge of AMIChallenge of AMI

Minimize Overall Risk and Minimize Overall Risk and Capital Exposure to the City Capital Exposure to the City

of Weimarof Weimar

Independent VariablesIndependent Variables

Integrating SoftwareIntegrating Software Lead times on HardwareLead times on Hardware Water Meter InstallationWater Meter Installation In-house ITIn-house IT Interface between Meters and Interface between Meters and

Billing ProgramBilling Program No Contractor- may be easier No Contractor- may be easier

installation but more costly overallinstallation but more costly overall

ResearchResearch Visited MOU’s with Different AMR / Visited MOU’s with Different AMR /

AMI SystemsAMI Systems Attended Area and National Attended Area and National

SeminarsSeminars Ran Two PilotsRan Two Pilots

AMI To DateAMI To Date

Three and Final Year of Build-OutThree and Final Year of Build-Out Installed to DateInstalled to Date

Water 1040/1056Water 1040/1056 Electric 1150/1200Electric 1150/1200

What Have We LearnedWhat Have We Learned Lead Time of Meters longer than Lead Time of Meters longer than

anticipatedanticipated Changing vendors business plans hinder Changing vendors business plans hinder

deployment of systemdeployment of system Proved City was losing 22% in water Proved City was losing 22% in water

revenuerevenue Improved relationship with customersImproved relationship with customers Vendors are gear to larger customers and Vendors are gear to larger customers and

haven’t adjusted software and support for haven’t adjusted software and support for small customerssmall customers

Field employees resistanceField employees resistance

What NextWhat Next

User friendly internet utility User friendly internet utility interface for customersinterface for customers

Read Meters When Invoiced from Read Meters When Invoiced from Wholesale Supplier Wholesale Supplier

Be aware of changing demographics Be aware of changing demographics and adaptand adapt

Benefiting the Citizens of Benefiting the Citizens of WeimarWeimar

Improving Quality of LifeImproving Quality of Life

Promoting Economic DevelopmentPromoting Economic Development

Enhancing the Reliability of the Power Enhancing the Reliability of the Power GridGrid

If a Rural Community Wants to be If a Rural Community Wants to be Viable, It has to Keep Moving Viable, It has to Keep Moving Forward with Technology that Forward with Technology that Businesses Expect and Future Businesses Expect and Future Generation of Citizens Expect Generation of Citizens Expect

Randal Jones

City Mgr

979.725.8554

citymgr@weimartexas.org

W We’re on the wayeimar

C I T Y O F