Electro-Mechanical Meter
Electric meter technology has evolved over the years. The original style of residential meter used an intricate set of gears and coils to accurately measure the amount of electricity being used. Many will recognize the horizontal flat spinning disc under a glass cover that measures electricity usage in kilowatt hours (kWh) as gears rotate the numbers on the meter register. This meter does not have the capability to communicate information.
PIE&G still has many older electro-mechanical meters in service. Although highly accurate and reliable, the drawbacks are that someone must read the meter, write down the reading, and input the reading into a billing system – a process both time intensive and susceptible to human error. In addition, as with any mechanical device, with age, electro-mechanical meters eventually slow down over time and must be calibrated to remain accurate. All electro-mechanical meters inevitably reach a point where they can no longer be calibrated, and they cease to operate and must be replaced.
Finally, all meter manufacturers stopped producing electro-mechanical meters in 2009 as newer technologies developed and as utilities transitioned to digital meters.
Digital Meter
The next step in the evolution of the electric meter came with digital meters. PIE&G currently uses digital meters that do not communicate. The meter measures the electric consumption and registers the use in kilowatt hours (kWh) on its index. Since the meter doesn’t communicate, a person is still required to read the meter, record the reading and report it to the utility. The utility must then enter the reading into the billing system. Obtaining meter readings in person is costly, time consuming, labor intensive and prone to human error. If a meter reading is not taken and reported to PIE&G each month prior to the next billing generation date, the bill must be estimated by the billing system based on the member’s consumption history. PIE&G is required to obtain an actual reading after a bill has been estimated for three months. PIE&G will then obtain an on-site current meter reading, which may result in a large ‘catch-up’ billing to the actual reading.
PIE&G uses digital non-communicating meters to replace older electro-mechanical meters that are reaching the end of their useful life (approximately 15-30 years). A review of the usage history will indicate that the meter is not properly registering usage. The record will show declining or little to no usage over time due to the meter slowing down or stopping.
AMR – Top View
AMR – Side View
The next step in the evolution of the electric meter came with digital meters. PIE&G currently uses digital meters that do not communicate. The meter measures the electric consumption and registers the use in kilowatt hours (kWh) on its index. Since the meter doesn’t communicate, a person is still required to read the meter, record the reading and report it to the utility. The utility must then enter the reading into the billing system. Obtaining meter readings in person is costly, time consuming, labor intensive and prone to human error. If a meter reading is not taken and reported to PIE&G each month prior to the next billing generation date, the bill must be estimated by the billing system based on the member’s consumption history. PIE&G is required to obtain an actual reading after a bill has been estimated for three months. PIE&G will then obtain an on-site current meter reading, which may result in a large ‘catch-up’ billing to the actual reading.
PIE&G uses digital non-communicating meters to replace older electro-mechanical meters that are reaching the end of their useful life (approximately 15-30 years). A review of the usage history will indicate that the meter is not properly registering usage. The record will show declining or little to no usage over time due to the meter slowing down or stopping.
The latest meter technology is the all-digital communicating meter which has no gears or rotating disks. Using electronics, the meter measures electricity use in the home, stores the usage data and sends the data via secure radio signal to a collector unit mounted high on communications towers or power poles. The collector in turn, transmits the encrypted meter and usage data to the utility’s office via radio signals (or cellular) and downloads it to computers. AMI helps the utility and the members save money by reducing expenses of sending employees and vehicles long distances to each service location to obtain meter readings. In turn, the data is accurate, thereby allowing actual usage to be billed instead of estimates.
AMI meters also help the utility to identify outages quickly, which in turn allows for faster outage response and shorter outage duration.