Council approves DWP smart-meter pilot contract to expand outage detection

The Los Angeles City Council voted to approve a software contract for the Department of Water and Power (DWP) supporting a pilot deployment of smart meters, a measure councilmembers said is necessary to modernize the city's utilities and improve outage detection.

Councilmember Paul Krekorian Yaroslavsky (appearing on the transcript as Councilmember Paul Yaroslavsky) told colleagues the item would authorize a DWP software contract to support a smart-meter pilot and that the devices are critical to a "20‑first‑century utility." He said smart meters provide real‑time data that can reduce reliance on customers to self‑report outages.

Nut graf: Councilmember Yaroslavsky described the hardware and software upgrade as "way past due," and the council approved the item on a recorded vote (14 ayes), clearing the measure to proceed to pilot deployment under DWP oversight.

Details: The measure passed with a recorded vote of 14 ayes. The transcript shows Yaroslavsky stressing the operational importance of smart meters for clean‑energy integration, outage reporting and resilience. No amendments or changes to the contract terms were recorded on the council floor during the vote.

Ending: The contract authorization allows DWP to move ahead with the pilot; department staff will hold responsibility for procurement and deployment steps. The council vote authorizes the department to proceed with the work described in the council file.