26 May, 2010
END OF AN ERA AS DIGITAL METERS INSTALLED FOR EFFICIENCY AND ENVIRONMENT
LOS ANGELES–Southern California Edison meter readers may not be walking in your backyard, checking electric usage anymore. City by city the monitoring system is changing as new advanced digital meters are replacing the old mechanical ones. The process only takes about 10 minutes while an Edison or Corix employee attaches the new device to your meter. Electricity will be turned off for a few minutes while this procedure takes place, so make sure your computers or appliances are off.
The new instruments can send and receive energy use and cost information to the utility over a secure wireless network. This enables customers to view their energy use and cost from a computer, cell phone or other device. It’s all part of Edison’s program to build a smarter electric grid that can help prevent largescale outages and enable consumers to monitor and make choices about their energy use.
Installation of 5 million Edison SmartConnect monitors began in San Gabriel Valley in December; has occurred in East Los Angeles and is currently taking place in Orange County. By 2012 it will have covered residences and businesses in the firm’s 50,000 square mile Service Area.
For further information on when Edison SmartConnect will occur in your neighborhood as well as what it’s all about, visit sce.com/smartconnect.