The SOCOEPA was distinct from other SGAA projects. It employs power line carrier (PLC) technology as the communication technology to transfer data from smart meters to a PLC data collector in the SOCOEPA substation. The AMI system injects a communication signal directly onto the SOCOEPA power line (distribution line) that acts as communication medium through which the data signal is passed to the PLC data collector at the substation.

The SOCOEPA project was designed to provide metering, demand, power factor and power quality information for up to 1100 SOCOEPA consumers. Project funds allowed installation of 590 single phase smart meters for residential consumers and 50 three phase smart meters for commercial consumers. Most of the residential meters are located in remote areas of the SOCOEPA distribution system. The attributes of the project are as follows:

• Hosted Landis+Gyr master station.
• Web-based interface to allow SOCOEPA employees to monitor smart meters installed as part of this project.
• 50 three phase commercial meter installations.
• 590 single phase residential meters installed in remote areas of the SOCOEPA service territory.
• Installation of a PLC data collector in the SOCOEPA substation (serving as the delivery point) to gather metering data from the smart meters and communicate it back to the master station.

The smart meters were installed in various places throughout SOCOEPA’s territory. The dispersed nature of the meter installation allowed SGAA to evaluate the applicability of PLC communication capability for remote and dispersed loads. The AMI system has been performing very well, communicating with a high percentage of the meters. SOCOEPA is collaborating with the vendor to resolve issues with the non-communicating meters.