FARMINGTON — Installation of up to 4,036 smart meters in Farmington is now planned by October, Central Maine Power Co. representative Steve Daniels told selectmen last week.
The number reflects the number of customers in Farmington but doesn’t account for those who may “opt out” of the new meter installation, he said.
The older style, gear-driven mechanical meters slow down over the years from dust and dirt. The technological upgrade to a digital style was encouraged first by the federal and state governments and then the Maine Public Utilities Commission. CMP was directed by these entities to invest in smart grid technology starting with the meters, he said.
“The smart meter stores hourly readings electronically instead of using dials to show just the total use. Each day, the meter sends a reading to CMP by a low-power radio signal,” according to CMP materials.
The radio signal is much less than wireless Internet systems or cordless phones, he said.
Daily readings taken electronically eliminate sending a monthly meter reader to each home. Changes to accounts for moving purposes or to shut down power can be done electronically, according to the company.
Customers can gain access to their accounts over the Internet to determine how and when they are using most of their electrical needs. The new meters allow more accurate billing that reduces the need for estimated billing and faster restoration of service after an outage due to the information the company receives from the smart meter, Daniels said.
There are options for customers who don’t want the smart meter installed.
A modified smart meter that only receives wireless communication from CMP is available for an extra charge. Customers have a one-time charge of $20 and a monthly charge of $10.50 for the modified version. The modified meter will not be available until March 2012 but can be ordered now.
CMP will read the meter every two months and estimate the bills for the alternate months. Customers will still be able to see their hourly usage online, but it’s only updated after the meter is read.
The other option is to keep the electro-mechanical meter used now. Meters will be read every two months with estimated bills for other months, he said. For this option, there is a one-time charge of $40 and a monthly charge of $12.
The PUC has approved the amounts for those options based on the cost to maintain the systems. The price could change based on the number of customers who opt out, he said.
CMP has contracted with VSI Meter Services to install the new meters. The changeover takes approximately 10 minutes with the home power shut down for about a minute. Photos are taken before the old meter is taken down and after the new one is installed for reading proof, he said.
More information is available at the company’s website, www.cmpco.com, or by phoning customer services at 1-800-750-4000.
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