Ameresco on Oct. 8 announced that the City of Columbia, Missouri, has selected Ameresco to implement a citywide Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project.
The project is expected to modernize the city’s utility infrastructure while delivering substantial benefits in operational efficiency, customer service, and data transparency, the company said.
The project, valued at $42 million, will replace approximately 53,992 electric meters and 52,747 water meters across Columbia, along with the installation of a new AMI network, meter data management software, and integration with the City’s existing billing and customer portal systems.
The upgrade will replace metering infrastructure that has exceeded its useful life, giving the City a connected system built for long-term operational reliability, with improved metering accuracy expected to generate operational savings and increased revenue over time.
The upgrade is expected to deliver a range of additional benefits for both residents and City operations, including:
• Transparent, near real-time access to electric and water usage data
• Faster outage and leak detection
• More accurate and equitable billing
• Reduced field service and meter reading costs
• Improved data to support future infrastructure planning
“Modernizing our metering infrastructure gives the City better visibility into how our systems are performing and allows us to respond more quickly to service needs,” said Gwen Corches, Assistant Director, Electric Utility for the City of Columbia. “With more accurate, timely data, we can improve the resident experience today while giving our teams the information they need to plan for the community’s future.”
For both Ameresco and Columbia, the project represents a long-term investment in modernizing the critical public infrastructure residents depend on for accurate, reliable service, the company said.
The AMI project builds on an existing collaboration between Ameresco and the city, which also includes a separate project to modernize 22-year-old HVAC systems and interior lighting at the historic Armory Sports and Recreation Center, originally built in 1939 and last remodeled in 2000.
“This project reflects Columbia’s continued commitment to investing in the infrastructure that supports its community,” said Louis Maltezos, Co-President of Ameresco. “Modernizing its metering infrastructure is an important step in strengthening the systems residents depend on every day, while creating a foundation for future needs. We’re proud to continue supporting the City as it invests in both its future and its history.”
