Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) announced on Wednesday that more than 265,000 meters across Upstate New York have been successfully upgraded to new smart meters for customers.
"A smart meter is an electric meter with two-way wireless communications between the meter and our systems," said Chris Knopse, NYSEG's program manager of government and community relations for Western New York. "They securely transmit usage and meter status data to NYSEG automatically, which enables monthly bills to be based on actual use. It provides faster response if customers experience a power outage, and really better customer control over their energy bills."
Knopse says these new smart meters will enable a number of benefits for NYSEG and RG&E customers once they're installed.
"Offering greater convenience, more control and expanded choice in understanding and managing the customer's energy use. Smart meters measure detailed hourly energy usage, so monthly bills are based on actual energy use each month. The two-way communication allows for faster diagnosis and quicker response by pinpointing outages based on smart meter status. And smart meters provide access to new tools and resources, such as Energy Manager, that can help customers make more informed decisions about their energy choices," Knopse explained.
Smart meter installations in NYSEG's Lancaster operating division, which includes portions of Erie, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Wyoming counties, are expected to start this coming January and continue throughout the year.
"You know Buffalo weather being what it is, hopefully we can get them started sooner rather than later in January," Knopse said. "But a few weeks before installation, we'll mail customers a postcard to let them know when we'll be in their neighborhood. When the installer arrives, they'll knock on the door before getting the upgrade. And all of our installers are clearly identified with identification, and vehicles are marked with our logo."
As for the installation itself, Knopse says it will only take a few minutes to complete.
"Customers may experience a brief interruption to their power. And if their meter is located outside and accessible, they don't need to be present. We only ask that access to the meter is clear so the installer can complete the upgrade," he said. "We'll confirm their successful installation by leaving a door hanger the day we upgrade the meter. And if we can't gain access to their meter for any reason, we'll leave behind contact information so they can make an appointment to have it exchanged at a time that's more convenient for the customer."
In addition to the 265,000 smart meters already installed across Upstate New York, more than 100 million have been installed to date across the United States. Knopse believes if anyone may be leery of these smart meters, once they are installed, the customer will find the benefits are there in short order.
"We've gone through a pilot project on these as we've been testing them, and there have been more than 100 million smart meters installed within the United States. So this is a tried-and-tested technology that we're going to be installing," Knopse said.
For anyone looking for more information on these smart meters, Knopse says there are a number of resources for our customers to check out, starting at NYSEG.com/smartmeters.
"If they go to that site, they'll see information on what to expect with their installation, frequently asked questions, fact sheets, installation schedule and more," he said. "Additionally, customers can also find a smart meter installation lookup tool, where they can simply put in their address and find out when we're expected to install their smart meter."