HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Resolution approving request to allocate funding for Supervisory Contral and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System Update for Electric Services DepartmentRESOLUTION NO. 26-324
RESOLUTION APPROVING REQUEST TO ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR
SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA ACQUISITION (SCADA) SYSTEM UPDATE
FOR THE ELECTRIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT
FOR THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA
WHEREAS, The Combustion Turbine Controls Upgrade Capital Improvement
Project has seen significant savings as the result of favorable bids and a scope change
involving using a Programable Logic controller (PLC)-based platform instead of a
Distributed Control System (DCS) platform extension. Approximately $800,000 is
estimated to be saved at the conclusion of the project compared to the budgeted funds ;
and,
WHEREAS, the utility’s SCADA system is used to monitor status and control power
flows for interconnections to neighboring utilities, local distribution, and transmission.
Data from SCADA is also used as the basis for billing energy transactions. The
capabilities SCADA provides are crucial to the function of the electric utility; and,
WHEREAS, historically, the City maintained the system through support
agreements with the current vendor, which provided routine maintenance and periodic
software and hardware updates at a reasonable cost. Recently, however, the vendor’s
business practices have changed, making ongoing maintenance and updates more
complex and more costly; and,
WHEREAS, staff is particularly concerned that the vendor no longer supplies the
hardware needed to support the current system or complete future upgrades. The SCADA
system is currently due for updates, but completing those updates with the current vendor
would be significantly more difficult and costly. Future updates are expected to present
the same challenges. For these reasons, staff proposes using savings from the
Combustion Turbine Controls Upgrade Capital Improvement Project to pursue a
replacement of the current SCADA system; and,
WHEREAS, the initial step regarding the SCADA project will be to hire an engineer
to develop the specifications for a future proposal. Since no funding currently exists for
this new project, staff is requesting approval for the reallocation of the savings from the
Combustion Turbine Controls project to this new SCADA project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames,
Iowa, that the request to reallocate savings from the Combustion Turbine Controls
Upgrade CIP project to a new SCADA upgrade CIP project is hereby approved.
ADOPTED THIS 26th day of May, 2026.
_______________________________ _________________________________
Renee Hall, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor
Introduced by: Corrieri
Seconded by: Junck
Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Corrieri, Junck, Gartin, Rollins
Voting nay: None Absent: Betcher
Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 26th day of May, 2026.