Project Summary
Ameren chose Hanson to assist with the deployment of its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in Springfield, Illinois. Hanson designed the locations for the AMI infrastructure, obtained the necessary permits and easements for device placement and managed the construction by hiring the contractors to install wood poles or identify houses for device placement. This work also included coordinating with the city of Springfield for the electric services needed to power the devices, a unique situation that Hanson was able to mediate.
Real-time tracking
To meet Ameren’s land acquisition needs, Hanson also developed a land management geographic information system (GIS) database for storing documents used in the land acquisition process and tracking real-time progress made during the project. The database was tied to the design location database to identify potential locations for the AMI units and help coordinate design changes necessary throughout the project.
The scope of services encompassed siting, land acquisition and construction management. Siting tasks included reviewing the GIS locations of the mesh network provided by Ameren and developing a 3D model of Springfield that included all elements 15 feet or more above- ground to help identify potential mounting locations near the original grid point locations. Using Ameren’s mesh points, the 3D model of Springfield and existing Ameren pole locations, Hanson identified mounting locations that met Ameren’s specifications and reduced the number of proposed easements required by nearly half. Hanson evaluated locations for 400 mounted units throughout the city, as well as 50 ground-mounted pedestal units, acquiring easements for only 220 locations.
Landowner and utilities coordination
The siting designers worked closely with the land acquisition staff to evaluate location changes requested by landowners or determined by the team to be more efficient in acquiring property. Hanson also worked with Ameren’s technical staff to evaluate specialized solar applications at locations away from existing power supplies to cover the entire city.
Hanson also provided construction management, which included developing and submitting City Water, Light and Power (CWLP) service requests for all Springfield AMI locations, as well as construction observation and coordination with contractors regarding installation locations and approval from CWLP and landowners. Hanson coordinated with landowners, notifying them of the start, duration and completion of construction activities. The project team also provided structural evaluations of AMI mounting locations, determining the structural adequacy of the existing structures, as well as project management services.
Overcoming obstacles
The project team encountered multiple challenges during the installations, including the inability of the meters in Springfield — and other parts of the state — to communicate with the AMI equipment. It was preferred that the AMI equipment be installed prior to the meter upgrades. However, because of Ameren’s project timeline, parts of the state needed the meter equipment upgraded first. After the first installation of devices in Springfield, Ameren’s AMI vendor discovered the meters were communicating inconsistently or not at all. The meters were intended to “wake-up” every so often to communicate with the network, but it didn’t appear to be occurring. The vendor wanted to deploy more network as a potential solution.
As a test-case scenario, Hanson installed a dozen AMI units in Chatham, Illinois. When nothing had changed two weeks after the Chatham installation, Hanson suggested the problem could be an issue with the meter units rather than the AMI signal coverage. After deploying additional units in Springfield at the vendor’s request, as well as additional testing, the project team confirmed that a software issue was preventing the meters from communicating. Once this was resolved, the vendor was able to meet its contractual requirements for the Ameren project.
Another obstacle Hanson overcame was the design challenges in the urban and suburban environments. The AMI equipment was designed to be installed on a wood or streetlight pole. In urban areas or residential subdivisions with no aboveground electrical infrastructure, poles needed to be installed, which required homeowner approval. Hanson designed a low-profile, building-mounted unit that wouldn’t encumber residents’ views but still provided the communication requirements of the area. The design was based on the Ameren solar equipment and traditional powered design, mixing the unique elements of both.
AMI across Illinois
During the Springfield deployment, Ameren recognized Hanson’s value and brought the project team on board for deployments throughout Illinois. The statewide project encompassed 500 locations for AMI electronic communication units placed on structures at least 16.5 feet aboveground.
Construction management tasks included preparing construction performance details using Ameren’s AMI installation specifications, developing and submitting service requests for all AMI locations, coordinating with landowners regarding the project timeline, providing construction observation and project management and coordinating with contractors regarding installation locations and landowner and utility provider approvals to begin construction.
To acquire the necessary land for the project, Hanson provided project management, developed a land management GIS database for real-time use throughout the project, contacted landowners, negotiated easement or lease documents, recorded signed documents and entered the final documents into Ameren’s Real Estate Management System.
The location siting scope included project management and evaluating AMI locations for the comparison of adjacent units, the allowable overlap of communication coverage areas and the maximum number of gas modules within the communication envelope.