A feasibility study to determine if there is a market for automatic meter-reading devices
- North American Energy Service, Issaquah, WA (United States)
For many utilities the cost of manually reading meters is increasing due to personnel expenses and equipment costs. The current system of manual meters provides little ability for the utility to reduce costs. To reduce meter reading costs the utility must automate the manual system and reduce personnel expenses. A water utility in San Diego county was studied to calculate the cost of reading individual water meters. This would allow for the selective replacement of {open_quotes}high-cost{close_quotes} meters to quickly reduce meter-reading costs while limiting the necessary capital investments. As the {open_quotes}high-cost{close_quotes} meters are selectively replaced, a utility with a significant difference in individual meter reading costs could save three to five dollars per meter per year. This study showed that the {open_quotes}high-cost{close_quotes} meters were six times more expensive to read than the average meter. Additionally, AMR systems increase the information available to consumers and to the utility on usage patterns and problems. The challenge was to cost effectively identify the {open_quotes}high-cost{close_quotes} meters. The costs to collect these data were less than $500.
- OSTI ID:
- 269657
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960213-; TRN: 96:002620-0012
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 9. annual utility business operations in the 90`s, Stanford, CA (United States), 21-23 Feb 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of 9th Annual college/university conference; PB: 271 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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