AMR (Automated Meter Reading) Q & A
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How does AMR Work?
Using a combination of power line carrier and Internet communications Central Electric can bring meter reading information and other electronic data back from the member/owner’s location to the cooperative in less than six seconds.
Why are we changing to the AMR system?
The AMR system provides Central Electric member/owners with numerous customer service and cost saving benefits including:
- Saving the cooperative expense in meter reading costs which include employee salaries and transportation costs.
- Improving billing accuracy, enhance customer service on billing and service issues and a substantial savings from misread or inaccurate readings.
- Allowing for better outage management and help provide usage data to commercial accounts in fifteen minute increments.
- Provide for fully automated, daily meter readings on all meters.
- Save member/owners time in meter reading, bill calculations and submissions.
- Offer improved electric service reliability.
- Help to avoid bio-security issues that have arisen over the past two years. The cooperative’s employees will not have to enter the premise of confinement system accounts (i.e. hog and dairy confinements) on a monthly basis, which in return will help protect member/owner’s assets.
- Will help secure the overall safety of the cooperative employee team.
- Will give Central Electric the ability to provide member/owners with more detailed information such as power consumption patterns, outage and blink count history and voltage information, reducing high bill complaints.
What is the meter installation schedule?
Central Electric’s member/owners can expect to see the transition to the AMR system, along with the benefits, within a three year deployment.
Why is the installation scheduled in some substations before others?
Central Electric began installation of AMR system at the Mitchell substation because with the initial installation it was important to be in close proximity to the substation to address any issues that came up. The order of installation to the rest of the substations is due to the fact that the AMR project has to stay in a systematic build-out where meters and equipment are installed at adjacent substations where operational ties exist due to substation switching.
Who will be changing out the meters?
Chapman Engineering has been contracted by Central Electric to do the meter change outs. We will notify you, prior to the change outs that you can expect to see the Chapman Engineering trucks in your yards. They will put a label on the new meter with the final reading from the old meter. A meter exchange card will be left on your door with instructions on how to calculate your bill with the new meter. Continue to read your meter until the AMR system is on line and Central Electric is ready to read and bill the meters.
If a submeter is installed in the home will the homeowner have to be present for the conversions?
Yes, if you are home when Chapman employees change out your main meter they will also change out your submeter. If you are not home someone from Central Electric will contact you to schedule a time to change out the submeter.
When will it no longer be necessary to read the meter and calculate my bill?
Once Central Electric has installed and tested all the AMR meters interconnected to the substation in your area, there will no longer be a need for you to read the meter and manually calculate your monthly bill. We will notify you when the AMR system is operational in your area. In the interim, please continue to read the new AMR meter and pay your bill by the 20th of the month until the cooperative notifies you the AMR system has been tested and operational in your area.
Will I still need a rate chart after the cooperative is reading meter(s) automatically?
No. Member/owners will no longer need to spend valuable time reading the meter and calculating their bills.
Do member/owners have a choice to get a Cannon Technologies meter?
No. Cannon meters will be installed on all Central Electric accounts. The cooperative is embarking on a system-wide AMR program that will change 100 percent of existing residential and commercial meters to AMR, in order to acquire more accurate information, without the need to enter a member/owner’s property. At this time, if member/owners have a question about their energy usage, the cooperative must send operation personnel to the member/owner’s property to re-read the meter. With AMR customer service representatives can access the meter information and obtain the reading in less than six seconds. AMR will give the cooperative daily meter readings, instead of monthly readings performed by member/owners. AMR will allow Central Electric to read the meter in most weather conditions. AMR will allow us to give member/owners much better customer service, incorporating the latest technology, to give Central Electric significant benefits in regards to customer service, reliability and cost savings.
How much is this going to cost the member/owner?
There will be no additional costs to the member/owner to install the AMR system. There is no rate increase anticipated in association with this project. If the meter installer finds the member/owner’s equipment to be unsafe they will notified the member/owner. It will then be your responsibility to have one of our electricians or an electrician of your choosing to repair the equipment at your expense.
What are the cooperative’s cost in implementation and maintenance of the AMR system?
The $1.9 million project is designed to not only benefit member/owners with convenience and cost attributes but to also increase the efficiency and safety of the Central Electric employee team.
What other additional installation parts will I need?
No additional parts are anticipated or required. However, if something is identified as faulty or hazardous with member/owner’s equipment, Central Electric employees will recommend replacement.
What’s the difference between the Cannon meter and an old meter?
The new meters are digital electronic devices while the old meters were an electro-mechanical device. The new meters will continue to display the meter reading, but it will be in a digital LED format. The biggest difference is that the new Cannon meters will have an electronic circuit board module installed. The module receives and stores the kilo-watt-hour (kWh) and demand consumption recorded by the electronics in the meter, and is able to transmit this and other data over the power lines to equipment located in its substation. From the substation, the data is communicated either at 900 MHz or telephone lines back to the cooperative computer, which will be located in the Mitchell office.
Will I keep the same rate after the conversion?
Yes, member/owners will continue to stay on the same rate class as they have in the past.
What if I have a separate heat meter?
The heat rate discount will be automatically calculated on your bill for the month’s consumption.
What information does the Cannon meter record?
The Cannon meter records an electronic kWh reading, the date and time of energy usage, the overall peak demand of the electric account, if the meter has rotated backwards, and the number of times the meter has experienced a loss of power for any reason. In fact, the meter will record the date and time of light blinks and the length of the power outage.
What day of the month will the meters be read?
All of Central Electric’s meters can be read at a variety of times to obtain a history of account information. However, for billing purposes member/owner bills will be read the first week of the month.
Once the member/owners and/or Central Electric employees no longer need to read the meter, can obstacles be constructed that may make the meter inaccessible?
No. Reasonable access to equipment still must be maintained. This allows for member/owners or cooperative personnel to either read or maintain the meter if necessary at reasonable times.
Will annually billed accounts still have to prepay their meters?
Annual bills will stay as they are until February 2008. At that time you can make the decision to continue to pay them annually or change to monthly billing calculated by the AMR system.
How will Central Electric read the meters?
The cooperative’s computer will dial the substation installed equipment via an Internet connection and signal this equipment to request one or more meter readings. A reading request signal is sent over the power lines, and the AMR meter responds back with the meter reading(s). It takes less than six seconds for a single meter reading.
Will someone other than Central Electric be able to read the Cannon meter?
No. The AMR computer software is especially written for the Central Electric system. The substation communications equipment must be set-up by meter model and serial number and each meter must be added to the computer by its serial number and substation location. Someone using a home computer will not be able to read this electric meter. In fact, the new meter reading system does not increase the risk of hacking. Additionally, other electric companies with Cannon systems will not be able to read the cooperative’s meters. Member/owners themselves may physically read their meters. All bill calculations will be done at the Central Electric headquarters’ office.
Will Central Electric continue to do service inspections?
Routine inspections of all meters and services will continue in order to look for safety hazards, theft or other problem.
How secure will the Cannon meters be?
The Cannon meter display is visible for the member/owner to be able to check their consumption, all other information and data stored in the meter is secure and the meter is sealed.
Can the cooperative disconnect electric service using the Cannon meters?
Yes, with the addition of a separate disconnect collar, the meters do have remote disconnect capabilities.
Will the Cannon module notify Central Electric when the power goes out?
No, the meters operate on a poll type basis. The meter does not call the cooperative, Central Electric calls the meter. Member/owners will need to call Central Electric at 996-7516 or 1-800 477-2892 to report a power outage or emergency situation. The meters will be able to record outages allowing the cooperative to verify whether the outage is either on the member/owner’s side of the meter or Central Electrics’.
Will a power outage occur during the conversion?
Yes, member/owners will experience a short disruption in their service during conversion and will be notified prior to the conversion. Central Electric employees will try to provide advance warning by knocking on the door, before conducting the change-out. In extreme situations problems with equipment owned by the member/owner may result in a longer disruption of service for minor repairs.
Can I still read the meter(s) on my property?
Yes, you will still be able to read the meter. You will round off the last number on the meter to coincide with the rate chart. However, keep in mind that Central Electric will be figuring the payment on the actual reading so you may see a discrepancy of a few cents, plus or minus. Also remember that Central Electric will be reading the meters the first week of each month.
Will Central Electric notify me prior to installation?
Yes, the cooperative will be sending member/owners advance notice. You will be contacted by mail prior to your meter replacement. Also be sure to read the monthly Central Electric Cooperative Connections for updates on the AMR process.
What if my bill reports more kW usage than normal or I think my meter is not working correctly?
Contact us at 996-7516 or 1-800-477-2892 right away to discuss your billing concerns. Electronic meters are more accurate than analog or mechanical meters. The Cannon meters installed by Central Electric have been tested and meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) regulations.
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