How to Use the UtilityAPI MCP in VS Code Copilot

Q: How do I check billing periods using UtilityAPI with VS Code Copilot?

Use the getbillingsummaries tool. It provides aggregated data on costs and meter counts for your entire UtilityAPI account, which is helpful for general operational tracking.

Q: What should my team do if we need to backfill historical data using UtilityAPI with VS Code Copilot?

After a new customer authorization, call activatehistoricalcollection. You send an array of meter UIDs (pulled from listmeters) to begin collecting all available history. Remember that this process takes time.

Q: How do I verify my setup flow using UtilityAPI with VS Code Copilot?

Run testformsubmission. You give it the form ID from a successful authorization attempt, and it returns a referral code. Use that code to test data retrieval against listauthorizations.

Q: If I need to list all available utilities for a new project using UtilityAPI with VS Code Copilot, what function should I call?

You must run listutilities. This provides the required utility code and name for every supported company in the system.

Integrate core utilities data into your VS Code Copilot team codebase.

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Connect UtilityAPI MCP to VS Code Copilot

Create your Vinkius account to connect UtilityAPI to VS Code Copilot and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup UtilityAPI with VS Code Copilot

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Standardize Data Access Logic

The `get_combined_billing_and_interval_data` tool (or `get_meter_data`) lets your entire engineering team pull a single, comprehensive data set. This combines billing records with granular interval readings for one meter UID. It's the standard way to analyze customer energy usage across the board. By committing this MCP Server config to the repo, every developer ensures they are working off the same reliable access pattern.

Manage Client Authorization Workflows

To manage who has data access, use `list_authorizations`. This tool tracks which customer granted permission and includes their referral code. You can also check all associated meters using the optional `includeMeters=true` flag. When onboarding new customers, you first call `create_auth_form`, defining the necessary form structure via template IDs from `get_form_templates`.

Identify Service Points and Utilities

The `list_meters` tool gives your team a complete inventory of all service points, providing the unique meter UIDs needed for every data query. It also includes utility name, fuel type, and collection status. Before setting up any form, run `list_utilities`. This populates an authoritative list of supported companies and their required utility codes.

Setup guide

Set up UtilityAPI MCP in VS Code Copilot

Prerequisites

VS Code 1.99 or later with GitHub Copilot extension
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open MCP configuration

Open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and run "MCP: Add Server". Select HTTP (Streamable) as the server type. VS Code will create .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.
2

Add the UtilityAPI MCP

Paste the JSON snippet shown on the right into your .vscode/mcp.json. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Switch to Agent mode

Open Copilot Chat (Cmd+Shift+I / Ctrl+Shift+I) and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode — they do not appear in Edit or Ask modes.
4

Verify the connection

In the Copilot Chat input, type # to list available tools. You should see the UtilityAPI tools listed. Try asking: "List my recent UtilityAPI transactions" and Copilot will invoke them automatically.

.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "utilityapi-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

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Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by UtilityAPI. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about UtilityAPI MCP in VS Code Copilot

Use the `get_billing_summaries` tool. It provides aggregated data on costs and meter counts for your entire UtilityAPI account, which is helpful for general operational tracking.

After a new customer authorization, call `activate_historical_collection`. You send an array of meter UIDs (pulled from `list_meters`) to begin collecting all available history. Remember that this process takes time.

Run `test_form_submission`. You give it the form ID from a successful authorization attempt, and it returns a referral code. Use that code to test data retrieval against `list_authorizations`.

This UtilityAPI server touches usage data, billing records, and customer authorization details (metadata). The specific types are energy consumption metrics like kWh or therms, and financial cost figures in dollars.

You must run `list_utilities`. This provides the required utility code and name for every supported company in the system.

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