CITY MANAGER AUTHORITY PROCUREMENT AWARDS
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of Cooperative Procurement 26-127, Primary Metering Components, to Wesco Distribution for an amount not to exceed $48,690.00
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DEPARTMENT: Electric Utility
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Groth, Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The Naperville Electric Utility provides primary metering service to 23 locations throughout the city. Primary metering is used to deliver power at a high voltage, requiring the customer to step down the voltage for their own equipment. Inside each primary metering installation, the Utility provides a meter, current transformers (CTs), and potential transformers (PTs) to accurately measure electric consumption. This equipment is critical for revenue assurance, ensuring customers are billed accurately based on their actual energy usage and demand.
To ensure system reliability and minimize service disruptions, the Utility must maintain a strategic inventory of replacement current transformers and potential transformers. Delays in replacing failed components create a dual risk: prolonged downtime for the customer and revenue instability for the Utility. Maintaining an on-hand stock of these critical assets mitigates the threat of supply chain disruptions, ensuring precise demand measurement and uninterrupted service for Naperville’s largest energy users.
DISCUSSION:
Based on the 2025 field inspections and current system requirements, Utility staff have identified a critical need to procure the following primary metering components:
• Nine (9) Potential Transformers (PTs)
• Nine (9) Current Transformers (CTs) rated up to 1000A
• Nine (9) Current Transformers (CTs) rated up to 200A
These components are essential to establishing a strategic inventory for the primary metering installations, ensuring that the Utility can respond immediately to equipment failures without compromising system reliability or billing integrity.
Staff has identified an approved cooperative contract, Sourcewell Cooperative Contract 091422WES through Wesco Distribution, for the procurement of the PTs and CTs.
Due to ongoing global supply chain constraints for high-voltage monitoring equipment, lead times remain significant:
• Potential Transformers: Anticipated delivery is October 31, 2026 (22 weeks from order).
• Current Transformers: Anticipated delivery is February 15, 2027 (38 weeks from order).
FISCAL IMPACT:
CIP#: N/A
Primary metering equipment is expensed to the Operating Supplies account listed below. The Electric Utility included $700,000 in the 2026 budget for various warehouse supplies, including metering equipment. At the point of purchase, these items will be expensed to the Operating Supplies account listed below. As these items are put in the field, if they are used to support capital upgrades, the expense will be included in a quarterly transfer to ensure it is recorded against the proper project. The award requested can be accommodated within the 2026 budget.
|
Account Number |
Fund Description |
Total Budget Amount |
|
40101300-541407 |
Electric Utility Fund |
$700,000 |