Longmont Power & Communications will begin the first phase of its citywide electric meter upgrade in October and November, beginning with about 500 meters in southern Longmont.

Citywide installation of the new meters – part of LPC’s advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) project – is expected to begin in spring 2023. The new meters read themselves for a few seconds every hour, capturing the energy use of a home or business more accurately than traditional hand-read meters. The units and their data also allow for greater energy efficiency, a faster response to outages and easier incorporation of distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar systems.

“For 110 years, our community-owned power has helped Longmont’s homes and businesses build a city we can all be proud of,” said Interim LPC Executive Director Darrell Hahn. “Now, with these new meters, our community can take the next step into an exciting future.”

The initial deployment area in southern Longmont will be in homes and businesses near the Longmont Service Center (see map). The first 20 sites will have their new meters installed on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 while the rest of the first phase is scheduled to start in late October.

“These initial installations will help us ensure that we’re taking advantage of all opportunities to perform this work efficiently and well,” Hahn said. “It also helps us get a good start before winter hits, so that when construction resumes in the spring, we can hit the ground running.”

The new meters will be installed at no cost to the customer.

Some of the new capabilities that will be gradually deployed over approximately the next three years include:

• Electric Outage Detection: Smart meters will report any power outages to LPC’s Operations center within seconds, allowing crews to begin restoring service more quickly.
• Potential New Rate Programs: The new meters could allow LPC to offer lower rates for off-peak consumption, such as an electric vehicle owner who recharges their car overnight.
• Reduction in Field Trips: LPC can readily accommodate move-ins and move-outs by turning electric service on or off in seconds, saving the hundreds of trips that are currently required for manual turn-ons and turn-offs.  Since electric crews won’t need to travel to the site, that also reduces Longmont’s greenhouse gas emissions.
• Energy Awareness: LPC staff will be able to help customers see their consumption hour-by-hour, allowing them to make more energy-efficient choices than would be possible with the current monthly report.

The City has contracted with Landis+Gyr to supply the new meters and with Aclara to install them. LPC expects to complete the advanced metering project by the end of 2023 or early 2024.

Customers who wish to opt-out and receive a new hand-read meter instead may do so, but will pay an installation cost and an added charge each month to help defray the cost of a meter reader, and will not be able to take advantage of some of the enhancements that the new meters provide. A link to the opt-out form can be found online at LPC’s AMI page, www.longmontcolorado.gov/AMI.

Residents with questions about the project can call LPC at 303-651-8386.

About Longmont Power & Communications

Longmont Power & Communications has been Longmont’s municipally-owned electric utility since 1912, with a dedicated, innovative team that connects the community to affordable, reliable, and environmentally responsible electric services. We are “Power For Life®,” empowering our community’s transition to a sustainable, carbon-free future. To learn more, visit www.longmontcolorado.gov/lpc.