AMR & AMI Metering Infastructure

Using the documents attached, please write a detailed paper to meet the following criteria. ** Please site the attached information** Meter Reading Written Assignment Answer the following question in a Microsoft Word document. Please remember to upload and submit your assignment when finished. The document must include your name and reference to the Meter Reading homework assignment. Be sure to write a detailed, professionally written response. Your work is to be 1.5 line spaced and will be also be graded on the use of good, correct writing skills, punctuation, and proper grammar. 1. Discuss the biggest technological difference between AMR and AMI and explain how this difference provides an AMI system far more benefits than an AMR system. (14 points) 2. Two way communication, allows the utility the ability to not only retrieve data from the meter endpoints, but also send data, allows for demand response, DA, etc. (10 points) Provide a list of 5 components or technologies that make up an AMI system. This list may include things at the customer′s site, at the utility′s site, or anywhere in between. Provide a definition of each item in the list of components or technologies and describe how or why it is used. (Examples: Appliance Controllers, In Home Displays, Smart Thermostats, Zigbee Technology, MDMS, Meter Disconnect, etc.) 3. Provide a list of 10 benefits that a utility or its customer may gain by the deployment of an AMI system. (20 points) For each item in the list, be sure to include a desсrіption of how this is made possible and why it is important. (Examples: Remote Read, Remote Disconnects / Reconnects, Meter Level Voltage Readings, Tamper Detection, Real Time Pricing, Time of Use Billing, Demand Response, Real Time Meter Reading, Distribution Automation, GIS System, Outage Management, Transformer Load Management) 4. Provide a list of 3 challenges that a utility may encounter by the deployment of an AMI system. (6 points) Define each item in the list and provide a reason of why this is a challenge and how it is often remedied by the utility company. (Examples: Eliminating positions, Vandalism, Customer Concerns)

Introduction

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system is a system that combines
communications networks and management of systems. The AMI is two-way
communication between customers and utilities. On the other hand, Automatic Meter
Reading (AMR) remains to be an old technology that is a one-way communication
technology that collects data on electricity consumption and transfer.
The Differences between AMI and AMR

The two technologies have a big difference in that the AMR is an old
technology that uses a one wat communication system. On the other hand, the AMI
system is a technology that allows two-way communication between the utilities and
the consumers. Moreover, AMR technology is deployed in efforts to assist the utilities
to read the meters without considering the interest of the consumers. The AMI
technology ensures that both the interests of the utilities and the consumers are
addressed by ensuring the limited resource (energy) is conserved (Ball, 2014). The
other difference is that AMI involves many other technologies such as appliance
controller, Zigbee, and meter disconnect while the AMR only involves a meter that
can be read by energy suppliers easily. The last major difference between the two
technologies is that AMI provides the connection between the consumer and utility.
The differences gives AMIseveral advantages such as:
Advanced Metering Infrastructure, as opposed to Automatic Meter Reading,
enables networking of the utilities to customers to offer prepaid services. The prepaid
system enables the use of utilities without the need to purchase extra equipment at
additional costs. In addition, the Advanced Metering Infrastructure technology gives
the customers the advantage of activating the prepaid accounts from the utilities with
a switch flip. The process of activating the utilities at the flip of a switch reduces the
time taken by customers in the search of the services in the offices. However, the
process of activation of the prepaid account activation is not available in the
Automatic Meter Reading. Moreover, the AMI has more advantages as compared to
AMR as it consolidates the office data management solutions. The consolidation of
the data gives the consumers and utility control over the services.
Two-way Communication in Advanced Metering Infrastructure
Two-way communication allows the utilities not only retrieve data but also
send them to the consumers. A two-way communication is a system in which the

AMI AND AMR
utilities are also able to acquire the feedback from the meter endpoint and respond to
their consumers. The two-way information system involves six steps in its
formulation. The process starts with the development of an idea, encoding the idea,
transmission of the message, giving time the other party to receive the message,
decoding the message and lastly waiting for the action from the receiving party.
Using the advanced metering infrastructure enables many companies to establish
capabilities to help them get information from their customers and provide them with
the power that they demand. The companies can get the information on the power
usage on the sites and establish communication between the consumer and the
utilities.
The two-way communication also assists the utilities to understand the
electricity loads flowing to the consumer and allows them to provide a cause of
action. The consumers on the other side can provide information to the utilities on the
challenges posed by the use of the product through the system. Different technologies
are used in the process of two-way communication between the consumer utility and
the utility site. The first technology that is used is the appliance controllers. The
device regulates the flow of information from the utilities to the consumer. Besides, it
executes the control commands for all the appliances that are used by consumers. The
appliances assist the consumers to decide on energy use through the use of the real-
time signals.
The other technology that the consumers use in the two smart metering is in-
home display. The technology helps the consumers to monitor the use of their power
in their apartments or industries. The technology is aimed at cost reduction through
managing power use among consumers. Devices such as Chameleon SMETS2 and
SmartView2 SMETS2 are used as in-home displays. Also, there id the smart
thermostat technology that assists in the regulation of the heating and cooling of a
house. The smart technology allows a consumer of energy to remotely control the
temperatures in the house through a device that is controlled through a mobile or
internet-connected device.
Moreover, the AMI system uses the Zigbee technology which involves the use
of IEEE 802.15.4 specification physical radio. The Zigbee technology aims at
reducing the cost of power. The main purpose of the introduction of the technology is
to incorporate the high-level communication that is intended to be less expensive and

AMI AND AMR
simpler than WPANs. AMI system also uses the Meter disconnect to minimize power
usage. A meter disconnect is a switch that isolates wires in a building from the main
power source. The device acts as a special breaker switch that is isolated from the
main circuit breaker.

The Advantages of Advanced Metering Infrastructure
The AMI system provides many advantages to both the utilities and the
consumers. The advantages range from a reduction of energy cost to a reduction in
maintenance cost. The first advantage to the consumers is reducing electricity
consumption hence reducing cost. The electricity conservation is the main
justification as to why most of the users of consumers are changing from AMR to
AMI. Many utility users who operate with the prepay have discovered the issue of
electricity conservation. The utility consumers use less power as compared to regular
energy users.
Besides the advantages, the AMI systems allow the customers to patrol the
vegetation management lines. The AMI systems control the maintenance of the
spending for the consumers while the AMR consumers are unable to regulate their
spending. The other advantage that the engineers can obtain from the Advanced
Metering Infrastructure is the act of pinpointing the losses in their systems (Zhang,
Tian, Fan & Li, 2018). Once the engineers identify the losses they can work towards
reducing them. The users of the AMI have the advantage of the flexibility of the
system as opposed to users of AMR. The AMI users can pass any additional cost to
the consumers through the demand response and pricing programs that allow the
customers and utilities a couple of options.
As opposed to the ARM which in the future will be hard to justify the
expenses undergone by the utilities, the AMI system is said to provide the users with a
palatable and sensible return on investment soon. The utilities that had invested in
ARM technologies early are provided with a migration plan to AMI at a cost-effective
and manageable plan. Also, the AMI system is said to provide the utilities a real-time
connection to their users which is not found in AMR. The AIM system, in addition,
provides the consumers with information on the available technologies. The
advantage of the AMI, also, is that it provides the utilities with a better understanding
of the quality and the distribution channel to their customers. The understanding of

AMI AND AMR
the quality and distribution of the products allows the utilities to make improvements
on their reliability and efficiency to customers.
The service delivery to the customers is also improved as the AMI provides
adequate information to the employees. The attainment of adequate information is
attained through the provision of data that the employees use to respond to questions
raised by consumers. Cost-effectiveness and improved consumer services are the
main purposes of the introduction of advanced metering infrastructure. Therefore the
system reduces the calling loads to the utilities call center. As opposed to the error of
AMR where the energy provider would concentrate on receiving the calls from
erroneous electricity bills, the AMI offers the consumers with online access to their
bills.
The technology also assists the utilities to protect their revenues. The revenue
protection strategy is achieved through the automatic detection of the meters that are
running back due to interference by the consumes. Lastly, AMI assists the utilities in
distribution network management. The system allows the energy provider to plan for
future energy use. The information provided by the AMI assists in the determination
of the new customers' needs in a particular area and also the peak consumption.
The users of AMI get access to devices such as; meter level voltage reading
which reduces the threat that may occur as a result of voltages that are live threating.
The meter level voltage reading used DC voltage to detect the voltage requirement.
Besides, the users of AMI have the advantage of using tamper detection. The device
can detect any compromise of the appliances or data within the system. Besides, the
consumer can get the advantage of real-time pricing which provides them with the
actual cost of the energy used. The provision of real-time pricing ensures that
consumers can make timely bills payments. The AMI also provides the energy
suppliers with the benefit of the outage management system (OMS) which assists
them in the restoration of the power with easy and in a cost-effective manner.

Challenges of Deploying AMI

The introduction of the advanced metering infrastructure has come up with its
challenges despite the many advantages accrued. Firstly, there is a position
elimination of the employees who were previously working on the energy sector. The
technology can multi-task reducing the use of human labor. Therefore, many
employees end up losing their jobs as a result of deployment of technology (Rettie,
Wiest, Powers & Reekie, 2016).

AMI AND AMR

Secondly, technology is subjected to vandalism in that the security of the data
that the system holds is not secure. The introduction of cybercrime can also affect the
system results in massive losses to the utilities (Zhang, Tian, Fan & Li, 2018).
Vandalism affects both the consumer and the utilities; the consumers can end up
getting inflated bills while the utilities can end up losing their revenues. The act can
go against the desired goals of cost reduction and improved customer services. Lastly,
some consumers' concerns feel that AMI increases their data cost. Consumers have to
use the internet to access most of the services offered by the utilities. Moreover,
today's world is dominated by consumers who are more informed and can critic any
service that does not fit their need. In case of more that one consumer concern, the
technology may face a setback.

References

AMI AND AMR
Ball, J. (2014). Consider Best Practices for Deploying Advanced Metering
Infrastructure. Opflow, 40(12), 14-15. doi: 10.5991/opf.2014.40.0077
Rettie, M., Wiest, G., Powers, L., & Reekie, L. (2016). State of the Industry and Best
Practices for Customer Service and Metering Systems. Proceedings Of The Water
Environment Federation, 2016(1), 932-937. doi: 10.2175/193864716821123387
Zhang, C., Tian, Y., Fan, L., & Li, Y. (2018). Use-Based Pricing and Prepaid-Based
Pricing for Service Products: Analysis of an Unlimited Prepaid Card. IEEE Access, 6, 57676-
57688. doi: 10.1109/access.2018.2873771