Florida Municipal Utilities Adopt AI Infrastructure Scans
The new purchasing program allows 32 local utilities to replace manual field inspections with automated camera technology.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Utilities
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The Florida Municipal Power Agency has launched a group purchasing program that provides its 32 member utilities access to Noteworthy AI’s infrastructure inspection platform. The technology uses vehicle-mounted cameras to automate data collection, supporting tasks like GIS mapping and storm damage assessments for utilities serving 2.5 million residents.
Why it matters
This program offers smaller, resource-constrained municipal utilities the ability to leverage economies of scale to replace manual field assessments. By automating data collection and analysis, participating agencies can reduce truck roll costs and improve the speed of asset inventories.
The program covers 32 Florida Municipal Power Agency member utilities serving approximately 11% of the state’s population. In a pilot test in Starke, the system scanned 2,300 poles in 8 hours, demonstrating a shift toward automated, camera-based infrastructure tracking.
The players
Florida Municipal Power Agency
A wholesale power agency that provides energy and operational support to 32 member utilities across the state.
Noteworthy AI
A technology firm providing AI-driven infrastructure inspection platforms for electric utility distribution systems.
The details
Utilities participating in the program can choose to purchase, rent, or outsource camera-based collection services. Vehicles equipped with high-resolution cameras travel through service territories to capture imagery, which is then processed through cloud-based AI to populate GIS records and perform condition assessments. This mechanism removes the need for manual site visits to individual poles, allowing for rapid data ingestion and analysis for both routine inventory maintenance and post-storm damage reporting.
Timeline
October 15, 2026: Program announcement for FMPA member utilities.
Market Landscape
This deployment marks the operational culmination of the Florida Municipal Power Agency competitive request for proposals. It signals a move toward regionalized, technology-driven asset management for municipal entities that historically lacked the scale to adopt automated inspection systems.
Utility operators should evaluate whether shifting from manual field inspections to automated, cloud-processed camera data can reduce labor hours and vehicle costs for their specific service area. Monitor how this standardized pricing structure affects long-term maintenance budgets and GIS data accuracy compared to legacy inspection processes.
The takeaway
Smaller utility operators can gain significant efficiencies by leveraging group purchasing power for high-tech maintenance tools. Review internal pole-inspection costs against the performance benchmarks set in the Starke pilot to determine if cloud-based asset management aligns with your current opex goals.
Further reading
For broader trends in infrastructure management, see the latest updates in Utilities.
Source note: This article includes information reported by T&D World.
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