Sun Prairie Utilities has implemented a multi-year project to upgrade electric metering on properties throughout the city. This endeavor is part of an outage management program that successfully integrates SPU’s new Honeywell advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) field communication capabilities with the detailed connectivity of OpenPoint’s electric infrastructure mapping system. AMI meters utilize a radio frequency to supply near real-time data on electric use to the SPU system. Currently, 92% of properties in Sun Prairie have been transitioned to AMI electric meters. These meters supply real-time connectivity data with SPU's system providing data when service is interrupted and allowing for responding staff to be notified automatically.
SPU collaborated with OpenPoint, a software company providing technology-driven optimization for utilities, to develop the outage management mapping system. By working on this new product with a software developer, SPU was able to tailor the product to the needs of the Utility and its customers at a fraction of the cost of similar products. The OpenPoint system receives communications from meters when they lose power. It then integrates that data into SPU’s electric system map to effectively identify outage areas. SPU provides customers with an online map that shows the location of an outage in Sun Prairie as well as the approximate number of affected customers. The electric service outage map is available online at sunprairieutilities.com/outage-map-new.
Receive Outage Alerts via Text from SPU
Sun Prairie Utilities (SPU) customers can now sign up to receive text or email alerts when power services to their property are interrupted. Customers can sign up to receive alerts via text or email. This feature could warn business owners and residents of a power outage even when they are not on the premises. The system also sends a reconnection notification when the services are restored. This also provides peace of mind, no need to call in, SPU is aware of the issues and already has teams responding to the outage.
To sign up for alerts log in to your SPU MyAccount portal at myaccount.sunprairieutilities.com and then click on “Alerts” on the top right-hand side of the page. From there you can sign up for service, billing, and usage alerts to be sent by text or email.