New automated meters are less intrusive for residential customers

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Sept. 28, 2006 - Progress Energy Florida has completed installation of 1.5 million digital meters for residential customers in Florida.

Progress Energy began installing the meters in July 2005 and finished this month. In the Carolinas, installation of 1.2 million meters began in October 2005 and will conclude in the first quarter of 2007.

"This innovative technology provides a less intrusive meter-reading process for our customers and accurate, real-time information on energy usage," said Jeff Lyash, president and CEO of Progress Energy Florida.  "This initiative will also reduce operating expenses in the long term, benefiting customers."

Progress Energy is among the first investor-owned utilities to install automated meters on such a broad scale.  At the peak of the $140 million project, installers set a record -- installing 15,000 meters in one day. They maintained their fast pace and finished three months ahead of schedule in Florida.
 
The technology provides a less-intrusive meter-reading process for customers, more accurate bills and fewer estimated bills.

The new high-tech meters have digital displays, instead of dials, and use secure radio frequency transmissions. Instead of walking door-to-door, meter readers now gather customer electricity-use information by driving near a home in a vehicle that includes a computer and a radio receiver. This allows each meter reader to read up to 10,000 meters daily, as opposed to the old daily total of about 400.

The meters are highly accurate and difficult to vandalize, which is expected to reduce cases of energy theft. And the new system helps eliminate safety concerns for meter reading, including dog bites, bee stings and other injuries and hazards.