Smart meters coming to Lewis Center
Residents of Lewis Center and the surrounding area will soon have smart meters measuring and monitoring their electric use.
The meters will be installed by AEP Ohio. AEP stands for American Electric Power, and this major electric utility company provides power to millions of customers throughout five states.
The new meters have several advantages over traditional models. First, during storms, the utility company will be able to “ping” the meter, which will tell it whether or not there is still power to the residence. This will help AEP Ohio determine where the outages are located, making it quicker to restore power.
Second, the meters will send data reflecting the use of electricity to the utility during the day. This will eliminate the necessity of having people access a resident’s property to read the meter. It will also get rid of the need for estimated billing, as the data will be current at all times.
Finally, the smart meters will have features that allow customers to manage the energy they use from devices such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops.
AEP Ohio will use both phone and mail to notify customers who will be getting smart meters about 10 days before the switch. Installation is quick and easy, and power will be out for a few minutes at most.
Changes like this can be made easier if company officials create brochures to explain a new device.
The meters will be installed by AEP Ohio. AEP stands for American Electric Power, and this major electric utility company provides power to millions of customers throughout five states.
The new meters have several advantages over traditional models. First, during storms, the utility company will be able to “ping” the meter, which will tell it whether or not there is still power to the residence. This will help AEP Ohio determine where the outages are located, making it quicker to restore power.
Second, the meters will send data reflecting the use of electricity to the utility during the day. This will eliminate the necessity of having people access a resident’s property to read the meter. It will also get rid of the need for estimated billing, as the data will be current at all times.
Finally, the smart meters will have features that allow customers to manage the energy they use from devices such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops.
AEP Ohio will use both phone and mail to notify customers who will be getting smart meters about 10 days before the switch. Installation is quick and easy, and power will be out for a few minutes at most.
Changes like this can be made easier if company officials create brochures to explain a new device.