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Utilities report AMI meter deployment progress; 3,538 meters remain as legal options considered
Summary
Utility staff reported 82,690 meters replaced to date, with 3,538 remaining (1,831 water; 1,305 gas; 402 electric). Water completion is targeted for January 2026; staff flagged potential legal action for customers who refuse access and cited a forecasted project overrun of roughly $11,000.
Utility operations provided a detailed update on the city’s advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) deployment at the Albany Utility Board meeting Nov. 13.
Staff reported the city has changed out 82,690 meters to date and still needs to replace 3,538 meters broken down as 1,831 water, 1,305 gas and 402 electric meters. The water changeout is targeted for completion by January 2026; gas and electric completion dates were listed as to be determined because some remaining work is pending legal action to gain access to meters.
Staff said that since July they had identified roughly 1,819 hard-access or noncompliance situations and have completed 966 of those through continued customer outreach. On Oct. 23 staff mailed access-request letters to 861 customers and reported 97 gas meter changeouts completed with 49 additional scheduled appointments and 12 electric changeouts completed.
From a budgetary perspective staff forecast the project to be about $11,000 over the approved budget at present, with the possibility of higher aggregate overruns as the deployment continues. Staff also said internal resources have been reassigned and that the AMI field-service group will be right-sized (reducing technician headcount from 13 to an estimated eight) because the new system automates meter reads and reduces manual reading workload.
Regarding next steps for remaining noncompliant customers, staff told the board the options are continued outreach, pursuing legal action to compel access, or, as a last resort, service disconnection procedures. Board members expressed reluctance about disconnection and discussed recommending the city commission consider legal action to obtain access; staff said the city’s ordinance gives utility staff a right of access to city equipment but said litigation would be a policy/legal decision for the commission.
Staff also described operational impacts not captured directly in the AMI project budget, such as overtime and personnel reallocation costs for making access attempts on weekends when customers are home.
