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Client Name: City of Santa Ana I AMI FEASIBILITY REPORT 5 Smart Metering Technology Advanced metering systems provide information from water meters and other devices to a remote central location over a radio frequency (RF) communications network With the costs of AMR and AMI systems decreasing over the last several years, these systems have become more feasible for the standard water utility to implement. Current AMR and AMI offerings operate in either a licensed or unlicensed frequency spectrum. The benefits of a licensed system are the spectrum band the system utilizes permits a higher power signal, which enables a greater distance between the transmitter and receiver units (i.e., fewer network components in the field compared to an unlicensed band system), and the system covers a specific frequency so there is less chance of interference by other electronic devices in the area. To minimize interference on an unlicensed network, the system typically uses specialized modulation and encryption techniques that allow the system to share the band with other users in a reliable and robust fashion. A smart metering system is classified by the technology and reading method used to communicate data from the meter to the data collector on the smart meter network. The meters communicate with the network via an MTU, which is provided by the network manufacturer. The MTUs from major AMI providers can be fitted to most meters produced today, so the choice of the meter is independent of the network manufacturer/operator selection for the City. The combination of the network infrastructure, the MTU, and the technology within the meter are what define the capabilities of the smart metering system. A smart metering system can be characterized by its bi-directional communication abilities. In addition to communicating meter reads at regular intervals, an AMI system is typically capable of the following functionalities: EI Requesting and receiving an on -request data retrieval to allow City personnel to query the meter in real-time. o Alarms or alerts that provide additional information on customer use or meter problems to allow more proactive resolution. ❑ Remote firmware updates for the MTU that allows for focused or system -wide updates and reduces technology risks. 12 Time synchronization of the MTU and the AMI HES to allow for complete system data synchronism. o As integrated disconnect solutions become more commonplace in the water utility, following the lead of the electric industry, utilities will be able to remotely turn service on and off to support change of party of nonpayment situations. This is not expected to be considered for all customers, but the capability can be evaluated for specific accounts or customer segments. The evolution of water meter reading has progressed from the early days of pencil and paper route books to handheld devices used in manual meter reading, through drive-by automation, to the smart fixed networks (AMI) of today. Figure 4 shows the evolution of water meter reading. Each step along this progression has improved read accuracy and efficiency and provided additional information to support operations and customer service. Although water AMI solutions are mature, BLACK & VEATCH I Smart Metering Technology 25G-135 17