Elk River Municipal Utilities

VASS Solutions is assisting Elk River Municipal Utilities (ERMU) with the selection of an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solution. 

ERMU has identified AMI as a strategic technology initiative that enables efficiency improvements and increases customer choice, communications and value. AMI will serve as a foundational investment that unlocks the value to be realized from ERMU’s future Meter Data Management System (MDMS).  AMI will also enable ERMU to improve outage management processes and provide more timely information to customers during outage restoration efforts. Finally, AMI will enable the expansion of ERMU’s load management and conservation programs.

VASS Solutions has teamed with Schmidt Utility Advisors to facilitate the selection of an AMI solution. VASS Solutions provides AMI solution subject matter expertise built on its industry knowledge and extensive experience helping multiple clients select and implement AMI solutions.

VASS Team efforts include:

• Identification and prioritization of AMI solution requirements.
• Creation of a request for proposal (RFP) from the AMI vendor community. 
• Managing vendor communications and questions related to the RFP.
• Facilitating ERMU’s evaluation of AMI vendor responses – including critical requirements validation and collaborative assessment of responses.
• Conducting short-list interview sessions and reference checks.
• Facilitating the final vendor selection. 

ERMU expects to select an AMI technology solution in 2022 and conduct its phase 1 initial system acceptance testing in 2023. Full system wide deployment is expected to begin in late 2023 and complete in 18 months. 

ERMU is a nonprofit electric and water municipal utility that serves more than 13,000 customers (13,300 electric meters and 5,417 water meters) covering approximately 50 square miles in the State of Minnesota. VASS Solutions is a privately owned company servicing electric, water and gas utility clients and their strategic AMI, SmartGrid, and Digital Utility programs.