MEDIA RELEASE
(STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA / June 16, 2020) – Starting next week, the City of Stillwater will take the first steps to replace 20,900 electric meters with smart meters and to add radios to 18,000 water meters as part of the citywide utility infrastructure improvement project.
According to Special Projects Director John McClenny, it’s a step in the right direction for Stillwater. “Most utility providers have already moved to advance metering systems because of its benefits for their customers.” He pointed to the following benefits:
- Provides utility customers with secure access to hourly water and electric usage and other information via the web.
- Allows remote operation and monitoring of electric and water meters and provides efficient utility billing.
- Provides hourly meter consumption reports. This is a valuable tool for Utility and Bill Services when assisting a customer with billing questions.
- Provides analysis that can be used to predict and report if a customer has a water leak.
- Will notify electric personnel immediately if a customer’s power is out without anyone calling it in.
“Right now, we are installing data collection units (DCU), meter and transmitter equipment and beginning work on software that will integrate information into the City’s systems.”
The next step is a pilot project to install 100 electric meters and 100 meter transmission units for water meters. “We have selected a wide variety of customers in different areas of town to test the new equipment and solve any problems that might arise.”
The City will notify customers if their home or business is included in the pilot project. “We will make sure they have information about the project, and we will be available to answer any questions,” McClenny said. “However, customers should not notice any changes to their meters.”
Addresses that have been chosen as part of the pilot project should expect an electric outage for 10 to 20 minutes during installation. Participation or presence is not needed from residents and business owners—the City will make quick visits for installation.
Stillwater City Council approved spending $4.1 million for the electric meters and $4.8 million for the water meters from the Electric Rate Stabilization Fund and the Water Capital Fund.
The City’s current meters are at the end of their operation life and must be replaced with up-to-date technology and equipment.
Once the pilot project is completed, a citywide installment project will begin.
For more information about the advance metering infrastructure project, visit http://stillwater.org/page/home/government/current-projects/advanced-meter-infrastructure or go to speakup.stillwater.org.
