Insights from Eversource & LTIMindtree at DISTRIBUTECH

If there’s one key takeaway for utilities embarking on their AMI journey, it’s likely “surround yourself by people that have done this before.”

That’s exactly what Eversource did when undertaking its current AMI plans, by partnering with IT and consulting firm LTIMindtree, which has been involved in successful AMI deployments.

In the POWERGRID International Interview Studio at DISTRIBUTECH International 2024, Snimar Chhabra, Director of Enterprise Data, Eversource, and Sara Radseszewski, Enterprise Architecture Manager, Eversource, spoke with Tushar Trivedi, VP & Head, Utilities, LTIMindtree about Eversource and LTIMindtree’s AMI journey.

Eversource will be rolling out AMI (Advanced Meter Infrastructure) across the Northeast. In this engaging discussion, they cover the role of data & AI, the importance of a solid data foundation, and data as a fuel for AI-driven transformation as Eversource embarks on its Smart Meter and AMI journey.

Eversource is still using AMR and rolling out trucks to read 1.5 million electric meters every day, with plans to roll out an AMI system by next year. Itron will supply its Gen 5 meters, and Grid One Solutions will perform the installation.

“I’d like to say that we’re actually at the start of our AMI journey, but a lot of work has gone into actually the regulatory filing, the business case, the planning,” Radseszewski said. “And I’d like to say we’re actually just starting the fun part, because now we’re into design and build, and we’re planning on deploying our first electric AMI meter midsummer of next year.”

The hot topic at DISTRIBUTECH this year was artificial intelligence (AI), and how it will transform the utility industry. Eversource is interested, but fundamentals and foundation come first, Chhabra said. Work is underway to gather requirements and consult with partners who’ve been there before. Noticing that consumption and democratization of data has been a challenge for Eversource as well as other utilities, it’s crucial to get it right.

As Trivedi pointed out, AMI data is not just customer metadata – it’s weather data, geospatial data, corporate data, and customer preferences, to name a few. Eversource is at a “critical juncture” of starting developments and finishing requirement gathering, Chhabra said, and a centralized, well-goverened data platform is one solution on the table.

Originally published in POWERGRID International.