On 2 March 2026, the City of Toronto announced a three-year plan to replace all 470,000 Aclara meter units due to widespread premature battery failures. Implemented between 2009 and 2015, these units were expected to last about 20 years, but by early 2026, 70% had failed, with complete failure expected by September. This has led to estimated billing in many cases. The CAD$103 million program is fully funded by Toronto, with Aclara providing new units and Neptune Technology Group overseeing replacements.
Aclara offers a 20-year prorated warranty on Meter Transmission Units, similar to the warranties offered by other advanced metering infrastructure communication providers such as Sensus, Badger Meter, and Itron. Under Aclara’s warranty policy, Toronto Water would cover most replacement costs because of the prorated coverage terms. Based in Saint Louis, Missouri, Aclara supplies communication networks, software platforms, and endpoint hardware for utility advanced metering infrastructure deployments. The company reports installations across over 800 electric, gas, and water utilities worldwide.
