Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)

Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative is required to conduct monitoring of each metered point and to promote accuracy in such readings. Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative has investigated, developed, and implemented a plan for deployment of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) that offers greater capability than earlier meters. Since the Cooperative has experienced several concerns with the older meters due to natural equipment failure, there has to be replacement of the existing metering over the next couple of years. The advanced metering technologies were evaluated through public bid and a system was identified that best matched the gains in operations and cost effectiveness planned by our Board. The reduced costs of services provided and improved member services has helped our Cooperative to move forward with a newer Landis + Gyr metering system, our older system is also owned by Landis + Gyr.

The newer metering will offer numerous potential benefits to our members. These include:

  • options for greater energy conservation
  • more member control over consumption
  • enablement of the member to receive information for better understanding their billing/consumption data
  • improved metering accuracy and member service
  • potential for reduced prices during peak periods for all members
  • potential for prepaid metering options
  • reduced outage duration
  • expedited service initiation and restoration

Also, the newer metering will afford significant utility operational cost savings and other benefits. These include:

  • automation of meter reading
  • outage detection and reporting
  • remote connection/disconnection
  • reduced energy theft and earlier detection
  • improved outage restoration
  • improved load research and load management programs
  • more accurate voltage monitoring
  • more optimal transformer sizing
  • reduced demand during times of system stress

The issues of member concerns regarding advanced technologies have been considered and discussed with the Cooperative's Board, Staff, and other utility and governmental professionals without any sound evidence against full-deployment being presented. The Cooperative will implement an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) opt-out procedure for members with concerns.