"Smart" meter technology improves service
At SRP, we strive to incorporate the latest technology to better serve your needs, such as "smart" meters. With more than 430,000 smart meters in service as of October 2009, SRP is a leader in this technology.
These electric meters can send data via radio signals to a collector unit, which transmits meter information to a computer at an SRP facility.
This ability to communicate enables smart meters to gather meter reads for monthly billing, as well as mid month reads that are needed when customers move into or out of a property.
To improve service, SRP has integrated the smart meter system with its customer service system. As a result, many service orders can be completed automatically and without human intervention. For example, for the three months ending Oct. 31, 2009, SRP completed over 87,000 service calls without leaving the office. SRP has also avoided 700,000 field trips since program inception.
Quicker service order processing. Smart meters will enable us to complete service orders (such as turn-ons and turn-offs) more rapidly.
Greater Time-of-Use plan availability. Customers who now are unable to participate in the Time-of-Use plan because their meters are not readily accessible can select this popular price option as the new smart meters are placed in their neighborhoods. While we are deploying 10,000 smart meters a month, it will take time before all customers have a smart meter. As October 2009, approximately 46% of our customers have a smart meter.
Better performance. While we pride ourselves on reading virtually every meter every month, and doing it accurately, the
new meters will take us to an even higher level of performance, ensuring the most accurate bills possible.
Online energy management. Your smart meter captures your daily electric usage, and you can view your day's usage the following morning on our Web site. In fact, we are planning to keep up to three years of daily usage online for you to see.
e-Notification. With a smart meter, you can request that SRP e-mail you each week with an estimate of your monthly bill amount based on your month-to-date usage. We can also remind you when your bill is coming due, alert you when your electric usage reaches a predetermined amount, or even confirm when payment has been posted to your account. You can even choose to go paperless. Sign up for e-Bill and stop receiving a paper bill each month. To check out your smart meter capabilities, log on to your account.
How can I tell if I have a smart meter? Your monthly bill will indicate in the "Notes" section that your home is equipped with a smart meter.
