SaskPower begins smart meter installations in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan AMI smart meters modernize the grid with Advanced Metering Infrastructure, enabling two-way wireless reads for SaskPower and SaskEnergy, improving billing accuracy, tracking electricity and natural gas use for homes, farms, and businesses.

SASKATOON – SaskPower and SaskEnergy are moving forward with province-wide installation of smart meters and upgraded gas modules this fall following a successful series of tests that began in June 2012.

The plans for Advanced Metering Infrastructure AMI, more commonly referred to as “smart” electric meters and advanced gas modules, were first announced to Saskatchewan residents in 2010. SaskPower is installing almost 500,000 smart meters, and AMI in Saskatoon reflects local progress, while SaskEnergy will make upgrades to nearly 370,000 natural gas meters. All work is scheduled for completion in 2015.

“Smart meter installation is a key part of SaskPower’s ongoing work to renew and improve the provincial electrical grid, as Texas smart metering programs demonstrate widely, and one that will bring real benefits to our customers,” said SaskPower President and CEO Robert Watson.

“AMI technology improves billing accuracy, which will assist our customers in better gauging their monthly energy consumption,” said Doug Kelln, SaskEnergy President and CEO. “AMI will also create significant savings in day-to-day operations for SaskEnergy over the next several years.”

Smart electricity meters use digital technology. SaskPower’s meters are installed on-site at a customer’s home, farm or business and, under a cost recovery agreement, replace the old meter, in exactly the same position. The installation results in a short, approximately 15-minute power outage. Residents will be personally notified prior to each installation.

SaskEnergy will upgrade its existing meters by installing a gas module on the current meter, similar to Indiana pilot projects that use smart meters to control costs, allowing it to send actual meter read information. There will be no interruption to the customer’s natural gas service.

The new meters will provide regular information on your electrical and natural gas consumption to SaskPower and SaskEnergy, using a secure two-way wireless communication system. This will enable both companies to use actual consumption information instead of generating estimates for billing purposes. As provincial installation of smart meters and gas modules moves forward, with examples like Port Hope rollout elsewhere, customers will begin to see these benefits phased in over time.

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