New power meters to give consumers access to data

By: 
MEGAN LINSKI

Consumers Energy representative Kathryn Burkholder speaks to Kiwanis Club members. Submitted photo.

Consumers Energy has reached its halfway point for meter upgrades. A project that began in 2012, more than 800,000 electric meters have been installed throughout the state, and efforts have been expanded in order to finish the project by the end of 2017. The project cost an estimated $750 million.

The new meters contain a chip that automatically send a daily text message to Consumers about the customer’s electricity reading, eliminating the need for estimated bills. Kathryn Burkholder, outreach coordinator for Consumers Energy, said the new meters will result in accurate bills for customers. Estimated bills due to meter readers being unable to get to a meter due to bad weather or animals in the yard will no longer be an issue. “This technology will give customers an accurate bill every month,” Burkholder said.

At the end of 2016, the new meters will also contain a power management system that automatically notifies Consumers Energy when the customer is out of power. Customers will also be able to go online and look at their energy use for the month.

“We wanted to make ourselves more efficient as a company,” Burkholder said.

Large blue informational postcards arrive at the homes 30 days before the upgrade. The replacement only takes a few minutes, and residents don’t need to be home for the replacement. Businesses are contacted in advance through mailings, calls, or outreach meetings, depending on the size and complexity of their electric service.

Environmental sustainability was a goal of the new meters, as readers will no longer have to drive to houses to obtain accurate readings. Consumers Energy has 335 meter readers, with the new meters effecting approximately 200 of them. Consumers Energy is currently skill testing their meter readers in order to place them within jobs in the company. The 135 remaining meter readers will continue to read meters for customers who have chosen to opt out of the program, and meters for gas-only customers.

“Some people misunderstand and think these meters are not safe, but these meters are a very safe technology,” Burkholder said of those who opt-out of the program. Less than one percent of customers ask to keep the older meter technology, but those that do can enroll in the Manual Meter Reading program for $9.72 per month, after a one-time cost of $69.39. The charges are approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission to cover the costs of maintaining the system and infrastructure to support continued use of the older system.

As a part of the upgrade, communication modules will also be installed on natural gas meters of customers who also receive electric service, allowing remote meter reads of gas meters through the electric meters. This will eliminate estimated meter reads for natural gas.

“We’re absolutely trying to be more eco-friendly,” Burkholder said.

More information on the upgrades can be obtained by visiting www.consumersenergy.com/smartenergy.

Category:

Tecumseh Herald

 

110 E. Logan St.
P.O. Box 218
Tecumseh, MI 49286
517-423-2174
800-832-6443

Email Us

FacebookTwitter

Latest articles

Please Login for Premium Content