By Bill Sullivan
A sudden cold snap created a spike in consumption. Christmas lights were fun at the time, but they, too, kept that meter running. Kids leave electronics on, even when they’re not in the room.
Advanced Metering System
Sure, you try to do all those little things that, in a perfect world, can help keep cost and environmental impact down. Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world, and a big number on that electric bill each month can come as a shock to both the system and the budget.
But what if your world was just a little more perfect? What if you could log on to your computer and check consumption down to, say, a 15-minute period? What if you could figure out that your teenager is running the TV, stereo, a game player (or two) and every light in his room — all despite the fact that he’s spending the night at a friend’s house?
That’s the future of the Advanced Metering System (AMS), and that future is closer than you may think.
Oncor already has installed more than 700,000 of the new meters as part of its Smart Texas program, and the company plans to roll out a total of about three million by 2012. (Addison meters will be installed sometime in late summer or early fall 2010.)
The technology feeds information directly to your electricity service provider, eliminating the need for anyone to come read the meter. Once a new Web site is launched in the next few months, users will be able to access reports broken down into 15-minute intervals, allowing them to chart how much energy is being consumed in their home or business.
It may not make your teen any more energy-efficient, but at least you’ll have a little more information in the fight against high bills and increased carbon footprint.
“The great thing about these meters is that they allow consumers to have, in their hands, real-time information so they can make better decisions about how they can use their electricity,” said Megan Wright, an Oncor spokesperson.
“You can see, at 3 p.m, my energy use is spiking. That’s when my kids are getting home from school. I need to talk to them about shutting the doors and not leaving the TV on while they’re doing things in their room. It allows you to have control over your electric consumption.”
Most of the meters currently in use have been installed in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Killeen, and Terrell, but everyone in the Oncor service area is scheduled to be switched over to the new system by 2012. If you haven’t been converted yet, visit the Smart Texas Web site to see the proposed deployment schedule.
How is all this being funded? Even if you haven’t received your new meter, you’ll probably find a surcharge for it on your monthly electric bill. According to an agreement with the Public Utility Commission, consumers will be levied $2.21 per month for the next 11 years to pay for equipment and installation.
(What about all the money saved by eliminating the meter readers? According to Oncor, the reduced personnel savings were built into the surcharge.)
The AMS will be able to communicate with in-home devices (display monitors, smart thermostats) to provide access to your usage information. Oncor currently is creating a Web portal where users will be able to view their information on a “day after” basis.
“It’s like a speedometer,” said Oncor’s Wright. “It’s letting you know your electric consumption as it is happening.”
In addition to the Web portal, customers will be able to employ an in-home display monitor, a wireless device that communicates with the AMS. The monitor also can convert that usage to a dollar amount to allow you to see how much you are spending at a given time. (The in-home monitor can be purchased through your retail electric provider or a retail specialty store.)
The AMS also should allow Oncor to know almost immediately if an outage has occurred at a home or business, speeding response time. The technology may even help the company recognize issues before they turn into outages.
Oncor Smart Texas Program
As part of the educational process, Oncor has created the Smart Texas Mobile Experience Center, a 53-foot trailer filled with interactive videos and live demonstrations. The trailer will visit local fairs, festivals and the like, in addition to making stops at Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe’s parking lots.
“We’ve had a lot of people react very favorably about it,” Wright said. “They come, they ask questions, they really want to know what they can do to use these meters to the best of their ability.”
“Right now, you’re constantly hearing about the ‘green’ movement. People are really concerned and wanting to be a part of it.”
Coming soon: Another, smarter tool to help them do just that.
Tags: Advanced Metering System, electric bills, electricity consumption, Oncor
