Projects

City of Aurora, Advanced Metering Infrastructure, Automated Meter Reading Replacement

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City of Aurora

Historically, the City of Aurora had an automated meter reading (AMR) endpoint reaching end of life in one to two years, but a meter that could have stayed in the ground without any demonstrated under-registration for another five to eight years.

Because of this unique condition, they partnered with Jacobs to perform a sensitivity analysis on the costs associated with changing out meters during the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) upgrade vs. allowing those meters to reach end of life before replacing them.

  • 85 K

    customer end points

  • 20

    year lifecycle costs proved to be most effective by replacing meters & endpoints on one schedule

Lowering costs through competitive and smart infrastructure

In 2017, the City of Aurora asked Jacobs to perform a feasibility study (business case) for its approximately 85,000 metered connections. The scope included defining functional requirements for a new metering system, evaluating the existing Badger AMR system, performing a business case analysis to provide lifecycle costs over 20 years for various meter reading options and to develop an initial implementation plan.

The results clearly demonstrated that replacing meters and endpoints on one schedule (even if prior to a meter’s end of life) showed to be more cost effective in the long run.

Because of our efforts during the feasibility study, the City decided to move forward with AMI instead of AMR technology through a competitive procurement process. The study showed a positive Net Present Value which was largely due to the high base case of continuing to maintain a dated AMR solution reaching its end of life.

In late 2017, the City again chose us to develop the RFP and assist in procurement of a new AMI system. Although negotiations failed with the number one ranked vendor, the City is making good headway with the second ranked vender with whom the City expects to sign a contract with.

As expected during a competitive procurement process, Jacobs, working with the City, was able to secure lower AMI prices then were provided through their AMR maintenance contract. This alone made the costs and effort of pursuing a competitive procurement process worthwhile. This does not account for the additional benefits AMI provides beyond AMR technology.