Power Metering: Water Utility Savings Success
Solution
FKAA turned to SEL for an accurate power metering solution to help them more effectively manage their energy costs. SEL revenue meters provide FKAA the data they need to confidently make process decisions that affect electrical costs. Working with their integrator, FKAA developed a way to display power demand and kilowatt-hours in real time, expressed as dollars per 1,000 gallons pumped. This allows FKAA operators to view the cost of process decisions in real time.
The data from the revenue meters help FKAA identify operating inefficiencies, evaluate stations where variable-frequency drives will lower pumping costs, and determine the most efficient pumps to use. As a side benefit, the SEL meters captured some anomalous power events that FKAA shared with the power utility, leading to power quality improvements that benefit FKAA and its customers.
The more data we give the operators, the more ways they find to save. It’s having a chain reaction—everyone is always asking how they can save.
Results
Based on their initial investment of about $60,000 (USD), FKAA is realizing $600,000 per year in electrical cost savings.
With the success in their water transmission system, FKAA is now looking to improve efficiency at their distribution pump stations. Other water and wastewater departments are also taking notice of FKAA’s success and following their example.
The payback is really quick—[sometimes] in a couple of months.
