| Sitting on my couch one day, patiently trying to get | | | | the consumer, make better decisions. I like to |
| the little one to sleep, I just happened to look out | | | | compare it to a gas pump. As you pump the gas, |
| my window and was scared to death. I see a huge | | | | you can see the price going up in relation to how |
| man trying to hop over my gate with a special ladder | | | | many gallons you're pumping. Immediate feedback. |
| designed for hopping fences! If the limitless thriller | | | | This is basically the same idea with the smart meter |
| movies have taught me anything it is not to go | | | | (except it relates to electricity). You will be able to |
| investigate on my own. So what do I do? I go | | | | see your usage and resulting cost on a more real |
| outside to investigate, with the baby in tow. It's | | | | time basis instead of having only one reading at the |
| funny; the thought of calling the cops or at least | | | | end of the month. There is a reading every 15 |
| taking mace never entered my mind. Thankfully the | | | | minutes and it's done from a remote location so you |
| man was not there to kidnap or kill me; he was doing | | | | get a more accurate and real-time record of your |
| his job for CenterPoint, installing a smart meter. | | | | energy usage. With the elimination of meter readers, |
| Apparently he had been hopping over every fence | | | | it actually cuts costs for customers and companies |
| and installing these meters all around my | | | | because it reduces costs associated with sending a |
| neighborhood. In a state where anyone can own a | | | | truck and meter reader to each customer. This |
| gun, this seems like a pretty risky profession to me. | | | | device is also helpful if you are working on a budget |
| It's funny because if I hadn't busted the guy installing | | | | because if you've budgeted let's say $200 for the |
| the meter, I would have never known that anything | | | | month on electricity and you see that half way |
| had changed and I'll bet most people still don't. I'm not | | | | through the month, you are already at $150, it |
| saying there wasn't any notice, I am sure there was, | | | | serves as a warning to let you know that you need |
| but who really reads those notices in the mail? | | | | to start either cutting back on your usage or you'll at |
| Anyways, now that we have this new device on our | | | | least be prepared to go over budget. Also, another |
| house I thought it would be important to figure out | | | | neat function is just like your grocery store savings |
| what the heck it does and why CenterPoint felt the | | | | card keeps record of everything you purchase and |
| need to install these in everyone's homes. | | | | you're sent coupons at the end of month for items |
| In the past, every business and household in Texas is | | | | you buy the most, this meter acts the same way by |
| required to have an electric meter on their property. | | | | recording and analyzing your usage history so you |
| The reason for this is pretty obvious; it's to make | | | | can better manage your energy consumption. You |
| sure there is an accurate and consistent way to | | | | can actually see the peaks and valleys of your |
| measure the electricity going into your home and/or | | | | energy usage and be able to make changes based |
| business each month. This is helpful for both us, the | | | | on the analysis which could in turn save energy and |
| customers and electric companies because it allows | | | | then save money. One additional perk to this new |
| for a more accurate bill each month. And up until | | | | meter is that it sends instant power outage reports |
| now, that is all the meter was designed to do; | | | | to your local TDSP which leads to a much quicker |
| interestingly enough it has been this same way for | | | | response time. |
| about 50 years. But because we live in a world | | | | One thing to clarify is the smart meter doesn't send |
| where new technology is always being developed, a | | | | this analysis straight to you, nor can you go out to |
| more interactive and "smart" meter has been created | | | | your box and get all of the analysis mentioned above. |
| to not only help the consumer but to help the | | | | The TDSP receives the information from the meter |
| electricity companies and the electric delivery | | | | and then they have their own ways of making that |
| companies as well. | | | | information available to you. For Houston and |
| Something I'd like to point out before I continue is | | | | surrounding areas, CenterPoint Energy is providing |
| the companies that distribute electricity are called | | | | home area network capabilities that will allow for |
| electric delivery companies. Another name for them is | | | | customers to review this information online via the |
| TDSP's (I have no clue where they got that acronym | | | | web. For Dallas/Fort Worth area Oncor is rolling out |
| from but nonetheless that's what they are known as | | | | their own version called Advanced Metering System |
| in the industry). These companies are responsible for | | | | (AMS), which began in January 2009. The REPs are |
| quite a lot. They install and maintain the meters, poles | | | | also sure to provide tools and services that build on |
| and transmission lines. They also are the ones who | | | | this information, and allow their customers to make |
| actually provide the power to the retail companies | | | | better energy decisions. |
| where you get your power from. An example of this | | | | Since I began working on this piece, I've noticed that |
| type of company is CenterPoint Energy in Houston | | | | there has been more and more coming out in the |
| and Oncor for Dallas. These companies are | | | | papers on this smart meter topic. I'm not sure if |
| completely separate from the company you pay | | | | you've heard, but just this week the government |
| your bill to every month, which in the industry are | | | | announced they're awarding $3.4 billion in funding to |
| called retail electricity providers, often called REP's | | | | utility companies (and then those companies are |
| (this acronym makes a lot more sense). This may | | | | going to put in another $4.7 billion in matching funds) |
| clear up any confusion some may have - I can't tell | | | | in support of 100 projects aimed at modernizing the |
| you how many people have told me in conversation | | | | nation's power grid to make it more "smart. One of |
| that they pay their electricity bill to CenterPoint. I | | | | those projects is installing the smart meter in homes |
| think this is because not many people know the | | | | across the U.S., and I read somewhere that these |
| difference between the two companies. | | | | investments could potentially reduce U.S. electricity |
| Moving on. Since the meter has basically stayed the | | | | use by 4% a year! That's a big number when you |
| same for the last 50 years, it was definitely time for | | | | think of the millions of households. Also, the |
| an upgrade. Today, we have access to so much | | | | government's ultimate goal is to distribute 40 million |
| information, it is almost scary. Like when I was | | | | smart meters over the next few years. |
| pregnant, we saw so much in our ultrasounds - her | | | | What are the next steps locally for the smart meter |
| brain, four ventricles of the heart, blood flow in and | | | | roll out? Well, CenterPoint Energy was just awarded |
| out of the umbilical cord, you name it, we saw it. It | | | | a $200 million grant to speed up its work to replace |
| was wonderful and scary at the same time, and far | | | | all 2.2 million customer electric meters with the smart |
| advanced from 50 years ago. My point is that given | | | | meter. These new funds will cut two years off of |
| our technological advances, it is amazing that | | | | their 5-year goal. In the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, the |
| something like an electric meter hasn't changed until | | | | TDSP, Oncor, applied for $315 million to speed along |
| now. The smart meter will continue to measure your | | | | its smart grid projects but didn't win any of the |
| electricity usage, but it will also send information back | | | | grants and so their projects will continue on schedule. |
| upstream to allow CenterPoint, the REPs, and you, | | | | |