New electric smart meters

[funeralweb]

Sounds like they expect electric rates to become volatile and want to make sure they're not left holding too big of a bag at any time

I agree.

 

[Jaybird1980]

The issue is that NG storage is not economically feasible and the gas lines froze in Texas and the windmills were not winter grade so they had nothing. If they had coal plants and coal on the ground they would have been better off.

A nuke cannot be turned on or shut down on whims, it is a big process. Yes, they could store rods but that in not germane to this topic. We are discussing the flexibility coal gives over other sources.

How the heck do you store hydro? And what river capable of major energy creation should we put this on?

The company I work for already stores NG and we have multiple Hydros.

Just because Texas didn't build the infrastructure correctly doesn't mean that it isn't done. Texas had freezing issues many years ago in their utilities and chose to not fix the issues then, maybe they will learn this time.

Practicality is not what is keeping Hydros from being built.

Pumped-storage hydroelectricity - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Ingomike]

Who still has a dumb meter?

 

[Tradesylver]

Interesting subject. Having spent 26 years with electric cooperatives and been through two conversion to "Advanced Metering Infrastructure". AMI provides benefits to both the member and the utility.

 

[Ingomike]

Interesting subject. Having spent 26 years with electric cooperatives and been through two conversion to "Advanced Metering Infrastructure". AMI provides benefits to both the member and the utility.

Share who benefits and how?

 

[Max Volume]

I hear the company I retired from started installing smart meters and are having problems with customers
being shut off automatically while the people are paid up on their bills and aren't supposed to be
getting turned off.

 

[Max Volume]

Given that pipeline hack, I'm surprised companies don't see the benefit of having a person actually read the meters and just keep it simple.

Where I worked their reasoning was for safety and dog bites to the meter readers.

 

[Tradesylver]

Share who benefits and how?

Everyday the Operations department ran reports looking for trouble spot, one such report focus on blink counts. This information was used to analyze the distribution system for areas that might need right of way maintenance before that area was scheduled for clearing. Another report would look for over or under voltage issue, if a transformer was going bad it would be replaced before the member suffered an outage. Those kind of outages usually happened after hours and overtime. The information was also used to look for line imbalance, a balanced system would have less line loss. AMI also tied into the Outage Management System, real time data, the co-op knew the meter was out of service before the member even called in. Meter data was used to monitor the system during outages, Operation Department didn't have to roll a crew out to check to see if the power was on saving time and money. SCIREMC is one of the more progressive cooperatives and has been for years. I didn't work for them, but I was familiar with the co-op. Power companies like Hoosier Energy will be requiring more up to date information as balancing resources with load become more critical as more renewables are added to the system. Member meter data is important to the co-op, which is important to power provider and even to the Midwest balancing authority. It's a very complicated system and all has to work together.

Members can access their billing information online and monitor their own usage. Prepaid metering is an option with some utilities, nice thing about that is the member can pay as they go or purchase just what they need. AMI also provided information for the member on usage. If a members usage was out of spec say on the high end they could be notified of a problem before they opened their bill and got a surprise. AMI meters do not shut off power unless a member has a poor history of paying then the meter tech is sent out to install a disconnect collar between the meter base and the meter. Non paying members cost everyone money.

The benefits from AMI help to reduce operating cost which are reflected in the rate structure. AMI provides a lot of information in keeping the rates as low as possible and keeping the lights on.

I'll put a plug in for SCIREMC, they have been doing an excellent job of Right of Way maintenance here in Brown County.

 

[Ingomike]

Everyday the Operations department ran reports looking for trouble spot, one such report focus on blink counts. This information was used to analyze the distribution system for areas that might need right of way maintenance before that area was scheduled for clearing. Another report would look for over or under voltage issue, if a transformer was going bad it would be replaced before the member suffered an outage. Those kind of outages usually happened after hours and overtime. The information was also used to look for line imbalance, a balanced system would have less line loss. AMI also tied into the Outage Management System, real time data, the co-op knew the meter was out of service before the member even called in. Meter data was used to monitor the system during outages, Operation Department didn't have to roll a crew out to check to see if the power was on saving time and money. SCIREMC is one of the more progressive cooperatives and has been for years. I didn't work for them, but I was familiar with the co-op. Power companies like Hoosier Energy will be requiring more up to date information as balancing resources with load become more critical as more renewables are added to the system. Member meter data is important to the co-op, which is important to power provider and even to the Midwest balancing authority. It's a very complicated system and all has to work together.

Members can access their billing information online and monitor their own usage. Prepaid metering is an option with some utilities, nice thing about that is the member can pay as they go or purchase just what they need. AMI also provided information for the member on usage. If a members usage was out of spec say on the high end they could be notified of a problem before they opened their bill and got a surprise. AMI meters do not shut off power unless a member has a poor history of paying then the meter tech is sent out to install a disconnect collar between the meter base and the meter. Non paying members cost everyone money.

The benefits from AMI help to reduce operating cost which are reflected in the rate structure. AMI provides a lot of information in keeping the rates as low as possible and keeping the lights on.

I'll put a plug in for SCIREMC, they have been doing an excellent job of Right of Way maintenance here in Brown County.

Just don’t see anything I need, I’ll keep my old school…

 

[marvin02]

AMI meters do not shut off power unless a member has a poor history of paying then the meter tech is sent out to install a disconnect collar between the meter base and the meter.

Sure, and they never make a mistake. Utilities will never use this tech to meter use, the communications network used to operate the meters will never go down, and the information collected on your usage patterns won't be sold to anyone.

Sorry, I'm not a believer.

 

[Tradesylver]

Sure, and they never make a mistake. Utilities will never use this tech to meter use, the communications network used to operate the meters will never go down, and the information collected on your usage patterns won't be sold to anyone.

Sorry, I'm not a believer.

Utilities do make mistakes and it was part of my job to help correct those mistakes. Communication networks do go down and then come back. And no cooperatives do not sell you information, they can't even give out your information to someone whose not on the account. If the account in your name only then we couldn't even discuss your account with your spouse. So, if the account in only in your name and you have a someone you'd like to have access to your account information then you need to contact the utility and have them added to the account.

 

[Brian Ski]

Sure, and they never make a mistake. Utilities will never use this tech to meter use, the communications network used to operate the meters will never go down, and the information collected on your usage patterns won't be sold to anyone.

Sorry, I'm not a believer.

I think they can make mistakes, everyone does. But I look at it this way, If you power is cut off in error for non payment, they send a signal down a computer and kill your power, a phone call can get it turned back on. If they send a guy out to disconnect your power, good luck getting that turned back on soon. The guy cutting your lines can make mistakes too. (as far as metering your use or collecting info, Do you think they don't do that already?)

I hate to be paying $17 a month for using the old style meters. That is over $200 a year. What is interesting, we have had the digital meters here for years before they even sent out all this info about switching. AEP area. I have not seen a meter reader here in over a decade.

The one thing nobody mentioned, have you guys been getting the constant letters about signing up for power line repairs? The ones that say you sign up and pay $10 a month to repair the line going into your house? Who here has ever had trouble with the line coming into your house? (Maybe someone) But remember from the meter to the street is already the power companies responsibility. So you are paying extra for protection for the wire from your meter to the breaker panel. That letter makes me rant the most. We must have got the threatening letter over a dozen times. I wonder how many people signed up for that??

 

[Ingomike]

Utilities do make mistakes and it was part of my job to help correct those mistakes. Communication networks do go down and then come back. And no cooperatives do not sell you information, they can't even give out your information to someone whose not on the account. If the account in your name only then we couldn't even discuss your account with your spouse. So, if the account in only in your name and you have a someone you'd like to have access to your account information then you need to contact the utility and have them added to the account.

First off you keep saying cooperatives, they are just 7% of Indiana electric providers.

We all have heard the crap that [put in data collection entity] will not sell your data, but by golly, there it is, out there. How do you know what investor owned utilities do?

 

[Tradesylver]

First off you keep saying cooperatives, they are just 7% of Indiana electric providers.

We all have heard the crap that [put in data collection entity] will not sell your data, but by golly, there it is, out there. How do you know what investor owned utilities do?

I don't