Vision AI for Utilities: See More. Fix Faster. Waste Less.

From gas and water distribution to electricity supply, utility providers today face immense pressure to modernize and bring innovative technology to consumers, such as smart meters, EV chargers, heat pumps, and other emerging devices designed to conserve resources. Rolling out new equipment and complex devices requires heightened levels of precision, while controlling costs remains a priority. Fortunately, companies can leverage computer vision and image recognition to help achieve both goals. The AI-assisted vision technology helps automate processes and ensure compliance with strict standards.

Computer vision, or Vision AI, is especially helpful for the installation of smart meters, a trend that is gaining momentum, along with remote asset inspections and analog meter monitoring. Smart meters support energy efficiency, enable dynamic pricing models, and help consumers adapt usage based on capacity and cost of supply. Data from smart meters helps drive decisions about capacity planning and persuade changes in consumer consumption. Adoption of smart meters leads to greater sustainability — priorities for consumers as well as utility providers.

Types of Tasks that can be Completed with Vision AI

Computer vision captures a series of photos, analyzing them for discrepancies or noncompliance with standards. It can assist in performing many key checks during the smart meter installation process, such as:

• Reference/label reading for correct identification and configuration
• Verification of sequencing so that tails from the cut-out to the meter follow the correct order to avoid functionality issues or safety hazards
• Confirming screws are properly tightened to secure components without causing damage
• Confirming the correct placement and connection of earth wires to ensure safety and compliance
• Validating the correct installation of the isolation switch
• Checking the position and alignment of the meter to ensure it meets installation guidelines and operational requirements

Vision AI Supplements your Staff

With today’s shortage of skilled workers, having extra help is valuable. Vision AI can supplement and support your workforce in many ways. It simplifies and overcomes many operational deployment challenges faced in the field today. For example, installation rates often vary by operator, with some veteran field agents mastering speed without sacrificing quality. Other recent recruits may struggle with the precision that installation requires. Standards cannot be compromised. Safety issues, such as loose connections, can cause fire hazards. Vision AI helps maintain compliance. Technicians can leverage images to verify their installations match the standards.

In addition, utilities often turn to contractors and third-party resources to help overcome the shortage of skilled workers and expedite the deployment of meters. Computer-aided vision helps ensure contractors adhere to quality standards in the field.

The images help supplement the work of auditors and inspectors. Without computer-aided vision, utility operators tend to conduct audits on only 10% of their installations or less. This means they capture a small proportion of potential defects or non-compliant operations, which can lead to later repair costs and other risks, such as fire. With computer-aided vision, every installation can be verified to be correct and risk-free.

Computer vision also provides recent recruits or apprentice technicians with supporting information to boost their confidence and verify that they have completed all necessary steps in the process. If they have questions, they can consult images for guidance.

With Vision AI, you have the confidence that whoever is performing the work is doing it as if they were your best technician – every time.

How Vision AI Helps

• Automated visual inspections verify that meters are installed correctly and functioning as intended before the technician leaves the premises, saving valuable time and preventing the need for return visits.
• Speed and efficiency of installations improve the customer experience.
• Each installation task can be visually documented, creating a clear audit trail for compliance reporting and internal reviews, as well as ensuring that photographic images conform to basic quality standards.
• Completion reports can also be automatically filled out by using vision AI, so technicians no longer waste time writing down every serial number and asset ID that requires documentation- all it takes is a photo.
• Auditors can now use vision AI to remotely quality check every submitted completion report without physically visiting the customer premises.
• Increased visibility of onsite performance helps managers tailor training for technicians and contractors.
• Improved efficiency leads to smarter economics, reducing or eliminating costs of return visits and ensuring that contractors are only paid for operations that meet predefined criteria.
• Vision AI can also be used to guide new technicians during the installation or repair process. This helps place recruits in the field sooner.

Conclusion

Vision AI plays a vital role in helping utility providers meet escalating expectations for sustainability and optimal use of resources. Installation of smart meters requires precision and quality control with high standards for compliance. The efficiency gains brought by computer vision improve the customer experience. By integrating computer vision into the installation process for smart meters as well as EV chargers, heat pumps, and other emerging smart home technologies, utility providers will help meet and exceed operational goals.