"As part of an Automated Meter Reading/Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMR/AMI) solution, cities can move away from manual utility meter reading or drive-by solutions to digital meters that link wirelessly to a central network - saving time and cost while improving customer service and ability to accurately monitor and control valuable resources.
Lower operating costs - Fewer personnel required in the field, lowering transportation, insurance, and medical costs. Detailed data uncovers problems quickly and reduces fraud.
Encourage conservation - Customers can see their usage at any time, helping conservation efforts, and quickly detecting water leaks or faulty thermostats so corrective action can be quickly taken.
Improve customer service and satisfaction - Utilities can pinpoint system problems - leaks or outages - before customers report them, reducing downtime.
Reduce customer complaints - High-quality, real-time data increases billing accuracy, eliminating estimated bills, and unpleasant surprises for customers.
High-speed wireless broadband access with Tropos and its MetroMesh Solution partners are being used to centralize meter reading, achieve significant cost savings and meet conservation goals. Some examples include:
Corpus Christi, Texas expects to save $30 million over the next 20 years with their AMR system for gas and water
Anderson, Indiana expects to save $18 million over the next 15 years with their AMR/AMI system
Burbank, California has completed an assessment phase and is installing a pilot program to create a smart electrical grid which is targeted at reducing peak load and response time to address outages solution, cities can move away from manual utility meter reading or drive-by solutions to digital meters that link wirelessly to a central network - saving time and cost while improving customer service and ability to accurately monitor and control valuable resources.
Lower operating costs - Fewer personnel required in the field, lowering transportation, insurance, and medical costs. Detailed data uncovers problems quickly and reduces fraud.
Encourage conservation - Customers can see their usage at any time, helping conservation efforts, and quickly detecting water leaks or faulty thermostats so corrective action can be quickly taken.
Improve customer service and satisfaction - Utilities can pinpoint system problems - leaks or outages - before customers report them, reducing downtime.
Reduce customer complaints - High-quality, real-time data increases billing accuracy, eliminating estimated bills, and unpleasant surprises for customers.
High-speed wireless broadband access with Tropos and its MetroMesh Solution partners are being used to centralize meter reading, achieve significant cost savings and meet conservation goals. Some examples include:
Corpus Christi, Texas expects to save $30 million over the next 20 years with their AMR system for gas and water
Anderson, Indiana expects to save $18 million over the next 15 years with their AMR/AMI system
Burbank, California has completed an assessment phase and is installing a pilot program to create a smart electrical grid which is targeted at reducing peak load and response time to address outages."
NOW THE REST OF THE STORY:
"Utilities are becoming more aggressive about collecting money from delinquent customers, leading to a surge in service shutdowns just as economic woes are pushing up the number of households falling behind on bills...."
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The number of shutoffs could rise further, as new technologies such as digital meters make it easier for utilities to cut off late-paying customers.
Digital meters allow power companies to do things remotely that previously required sending out work crews. For example, utilities can take meter readings wirelessly and switch a customer's power off or on without having to send a crew to a house. They also can use a "service limiter" feature to cut power flows to a trickle until customers pay up. Utilities are installing millions of these meters across the U.S.
Southern California Edison, a unit of Edison International of Rosemead, Calif., currently disconnects late-paying customers owing as little as $30, but that could drop lower in the future. That usually would be a money-losing proposition, because it requires a crew to be sent out to disconnect service manually. But the company is in the process of installing 5.3 million digital meters, at a cost of $1.63 billion, which will allow remote, wireless shutoffs, making it economical to take action even for tiny amounts owed. In a recent filing with regulators it said it could adopt "rigid enforcement" of payment rules in the future for those owing less than $30. It hypothesized it could cut off an additional 129,000 people a year.
Lynda Ziegler, senior vice president of customer service at SoCal Edison, said the utility doesn't have enough wireless meters to support a policy change yet. She added that notification requirements mean it still could take nearly three months to sever a delinquent account. But she said the utility may seek authority from the Public Utilities Commission in the future to act more quickly or to convert certain customers to prepaid service because "one of the struggles people have is catching up when they get behind."
The ease with which utilities can use digital meters to cut off service has alarmed some consumer advocates. "Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should do it," said Irwin Popowsky, head of the Office of Consumer Advocate in Pennsylvania. "From my perspective, they're creating a reason to not have smart meters."
Digital meters allow power companies to do things remotely that previously required sending out work crews. For example, utilities can take meter readings wirelessly and switch a customer's power off or on without having to send a crew to a house. They also can use a "service limiter" feature to cut power flows to a trickle until customers pay up. Utilities are installing millions of these meters across the U.S.
Southern California Edison, a unit of Edison International of Rosemead, Calif., currently disconnects late-paying customers owing as little as $30, but that could drop lower in the future. That usually would be a money-losing proposition, because it requires a crew to be sent out to disconnect service manually. But the company is in the process of installing 5.3 million digital meters, at a cost of $1.63 billion, which will allow remote, wireless shutoffs, making it economical to take action even for tiny amounts owed. In a recent filing with regulators it said it could adopt "rigid enforcement" of payment rules in the future for those owing less than $30. It hypothesized it could cut off an additional 129,000 people a year.
Lynda Ziegler, senior vice president of customer service at SoCal Edison, said the utility doesn't have enough wireless meters to support a policy change yet. She added that notification requirements mean it still could take nearly three months to sever a delinquent account. But she said the utility may seek authority from the Public Utilities Commission in the future to act more quickly or to convert certain customers to prepaid service because "one of the struggles people have is catching up when they get behind."
The ease with which utilities can use digital meters to cut off service has alarmed some consumer advocates. "Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should do it," said Irwin Popowsky, head of the Office of Consumer Advocate in Pennsylvania. "From my perspective, they're creating a reason to not have smart meters."
Of course they will use a protocol, or equation in their computerized system to determine who is cut off and why. So none of the human beings at the utility will have the vaguest notion as to why you are disconnected. Perhaps it might be that your name is on the TSA no-fly list or your voter registration doesn't match letter for letter with you bank account or some random cosmic ray has changed you into a female or male on the computer, so you don't match what the computer/computers believe you to be. Perhaps if you don't pay that monthly rental for the heart-lung machine to which you are permanently attached then they can tap you bank account which brings your balance down so low that the electric utility doesn't get paid and they cut off the juice to the machine. Of course you will have a digital cable connected phone that only works when the electricity is on so you can't call them. Even if you did call them, your utility access code was in your computer which isn't working anyway because the VISTA program won't allow you access to the computer if your electric bill isn't paid because Microsoft is the major stock holder of the utility.
Vote Obama!
3 comments:
Well, now, you've taken that to kind of an extreme, haven't you? We've recently installed this Honeywell efficiency system here in my town. The metering part has been the biggest success for both the city and customers.
We're also installing a city-wide wireless mesh system with Tropos which will be another huge benefit not only for city departments but also for residents and businesses.
As always, the municipality will have billing policies in place and will be accountable through the city commission and thus to the citizens. I'm no more afraid of having a technologically advanced meter reading system than I am afraid that electricity is more dangerous than gas lights.
The worst side effect we have had is an increased number of calls to the police reporting "odd men with vans who have been seen laying in the grass strip between the curb and sidewalk." Those would be the guys who are switching out the meters, ma'am.
Now, we have had some problem with the street lights that were installed as part of the Honeywell efficiency project. Turns out the design precludes the installation of bird guards, and the birds just love nesting in them. Also, the transformers on the top seem to attract just an awful lot of lightning strikes. THAT'S where the scam is.
One must try: doubled my insulation and put in an efficient heat pump system. Last month, we
used 41KW compared to last year's October of 56KW. Having reduced our electrical consumption by over 25%, we were consternated to note our bill went up from $156 to $191.
Suppose the utility is paying for all the new metering toys?
Extreme? Naw.
My brother is a CEO of a rural electric type cooperative. He turned me onto the backsides of these systems in a conversation a few months ago. He noted that they used to have a 100% free meter reading system because the user would fill out a post card with the monthly reading on it and send it in themselves.
Topros heh, well real time management of the electrical grid is one thing. Then it goes to real time management of traffic and then merges with the mandated "on-star type systems" and well it is already here is it not. (see Las Vegas, NV)
Yes, bb, we will pay what the utilities need to have in order to function regardless of the amount of service we consume.
That is why Oklahoma has a constitutional department call The Corporation Commission with elected commissioners that totally control what utilities can charge.
The only real solution is to go off line. Something that used to be unthinkable but is now actually doable.
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