PSEG-LI has nearly completed installation of new meters in the Huntington area that it says will improve the accuracy of readings and the efficiency of collecting data on power use.
And while some homeowners say the new meters have increased their bills, the utility cites other possible factors, such as visiting guests, a change in weather or other possibilities for those reporting an increase in usage.
Lou Debrino, director of meter services for PSEG-LI, said, “From a technical perspective, the meters are very very accurate. They have a very stringent standard of accuracy. They go through strict testing. When they are delivered to us they go through a whole process” to verify that they work correctly. “We don’t have any reason to doubt accuracy of new meters.”
One of the advantages of the smart meters, Debrino said, was that they are significantly more accurate, allowing customers to track their own power usage. “They can view data on almost an hourly basis and can alter usage patterns,” he said.
A plus from the utility’s perspective is that it will no longer have to send teams or workers out to read meters. “Fewer workers in the field means fewer dog bites and bee stings,” he said. Meter readers will be retrained for other jobs, he said.
Another benefit, he said, is that the utility is able to monitor temperatures of meters, and have, in a couple of cases, been able to warn customers that they had an electrical overload.