SDG&E begins installation of new smart meter technology
UCAN In the Media
SDG&E launches 'first wave' of high-tech energy monitors
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
July 18, 2008
Mario Mendoza began his shift at 9 a.m. Wednesday, and two hours later, the San Diego Gas & Electric service technician had completed 10 “smart meter” installations at houses along Tierrasanta's Fino Drive.
So far, so good. Only 2.3 million installations to go.
In what utility officials call “the first wave of deployment,” SDG&E began installing digital, wireless smart meters this week for about 3,500 customers in Tierrasanta. The new meters track each customer's electricity and gas usage throughout the day, and automatically transmit data at regular intervals to a computerized information center at SDG&E.
The smart meters are expected to do far more than merely eliminate the need for meter readers. By most accounts, the technology represents the biggest advance in monitoring energy consumption since 1888, when the electromechanical meter was invented.
By tracking energy use on an hourly basis, or every 15 minutes for commercial customers, SDG&E officials say they can better manage overall demand, improve energy conservation, pinpoint gas leaks and immediately identify the scope of electric power outages.
The technology also will make it possible – eventually – for customers to monitor their own gas and electricity use and to reduce their consumption to avoid higher utility rates.
“What we envision are pricing programs that are 'carrot-based,' ” so that customers can save money, said Chris Baker, SDG&E's vice president for information technology.
Customers someday will use an online account to control their home appliances and adjust their thermostats, but the necessary infrastructure for such demand-response programs is not yet available.
“We not only support the deployment of smart meters but have actively encouraged SDG&E to do it,” said San Diego consumer advocate Michael Shames, who heads the Utility Consumers' Action Network.
“In 2006, UCAN co-funded a study by San Diego-based SAIC on the potential savings achievable by smart meters, and we believe that a 10 percent reduction is entirely feasible,” Shames added.
As the smart meters are deployed, SDG&E expects to realize cost savings of roughly $78 million from operational efficiencies.
The utility currently has 230 meter readers, although SDG&E spokeswoman Stephanie Donovan said no layoffs are expected to result from the smart meters' deployment. The work-force reduction will instead come through attrition, and training and workshops will help meter readers transition to new jobs within the company.
“From a cost/benefit, economic-analysis standpoint, we'll see net benefits of about $200 million over the life of the project,” Donovan added.
After evaluating the initial installation in Tierrasanta, including the data generated by the smart meters for the rest of this year, SDG&E plans to begin full-scale deployment in early 2009.
The utility intends to replace all 1.4 million electric meters in its service area and modify 900,000 gas meters by installing add-on wireless modules.
The program, approved in 2007 by the California Public Utilities Commission, is expected to take 2½ years to complete and cost $572 million.
In Tierrasanta, SDG&E plans to replace 3,000 electric-utility meters with smart meters and install wireless modules to 2,000 natural-gas meters, giving wireless communications capabilities to the existing gas meters.
The electric smart meters include 900-megahertz, wireless mesh networking technology, which provides two-way data communications between each meter and SDG&E's data center.
Although the smart meter and its software are proprietary, SDG&E officials say the system is based on an “open architecture” design so that other hardware and technologies can be connected to provide additional information.
Each smart meter also includes “ZigBee” technology, a low-power wireless standard intended to serve as the gateway to a customer's ZigBee-enabled home area network and ZigBee-equipped appliances connected to it.
While ZigBee technology is not widely available today, the emerging technology eventually would allow customers to access an online account where they would be able to monitor their electricity use. Customers also could use their online account to adjust their home thermostat from work or turn off their swimming-pool pump during a period of peak electricity demand.
“It's all about customers' choices,” SDG&E's Baker said. “There will be in-home energy management systems for our customers. They'll get a rebate to reduce their energy consumption, based on pricing (intended) to change their behavior – if they choose to do so.”
Bruce Bigelow: (619) 293-1314; bruce.bigelow@uniontrib.com
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SMART METERS
DESPERATELY NEED EXACTING INFORMATION ON HOW TO STOP THE INSTALLATION OF SMART METERS BY SDGE.
THEY ARE COERCING US.
PLEASE ADVISE A.S.A.P.
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Go visit ClimateDepot.com and you will not only see that the global warming is a scam, but that many high-profile people and scientists have acknowledged this fact and completely reversed their positions this year. The huge rate increases that we are just beginning to see today with smart meters, is only the warmup to what is coming ahead when most kw are going to be carrying a carbon tax too vigrx pills that is good for penis girth enhancement and natural penis enlargement products
SDG&E 'SMART" meter
The most common problem of new devices has been mentioned above. Faulty/shoddy craftmanship and people who lie when they benefit from huge profits. In addition to probable rate increases and faulty readings, the consumer will be forced to repay SDG&E for the cost of the meters at the rate of appx. $2.50 per month in addition to the 'regular' billing charges. Look at their website, under the 'smart meter' section. Consumer costs seem to constantly rise, while net income dwindles.
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Bad Smart meters here in Bakersfield Ca.
Do yourself a favor I live in a home with a smart meter I had generation one for over a year and in that year my bills doubled and PG&E said that there was nothing wrong with my meter and refused to test it even though I requested it. After going to the town hall meeting Senator Florez put together here in Bakersfield and speaking to the panel from PG&E and CPUC with a little nudge from the senator PG&E came out and tested my meter and my meter was running faster then it was suppose too. They installed generation 2 that same day and I have been monitoring my meter and the online reporting sense it has been install on Oct. 21st. as of today my reading on my meter says that I have used 238 kilowatts it started at zero when I go to the online daily reporting it is say that I used 493 kilowatts up to two days ago it does not report up to date reporting as of this very moment. So the reading PG&E is receiving and reporting on my bill is more than double of what my on-site meter reads and it is two days behind. This is a faulty system and is not working correctly I plan on Monday to contact my Senator and tell him what is going on with the new meter install then I plan on talking to the local tv stations about what I am experiencing with the new meter. PG&E Customers beware of this new meter!!
Smart meters in PG&E Catastrophe
Go visit The Utility Reform Network (Turn.org) and read the horror stories about what happened in the Central Valley when PG&e installed these things. A state sen. held public hearings in autumn 2009 and the truth is coming out.
Also, look at the UnionTrib website and read the comments section reponding to a frontpage story in Sept. or Oct. about SDG&E. After people get the meter in place, rates always go up.
This thing is certainly not saving money for ratepayers. It is done to help utilities avoid paying for peaking plant power, which is very hard to pass along to ratepayers, due to CPUC reluctance. If homes shut off air conditioning during peak times, they save maybe 10% but the utility SDG&E or whoever, saves much much more.
Also, go visit ClimateDepot.com and you will not only see that the global warming is a scam, but that many high-profile people and scientists have acknowledged this fact and completely reversed their positions this year. The huge rate increases that we are just beginning to see today with smart meters, is only the warmup to what is coming ahead when most kw are going to be carrying a carbon tax too
Looking forward to have
Looking forward to have smart meters installed in my neighborhood, I personally don't see any disadvantages for installing this monitoring device, we can only benefit from that. I would call my Austin electrician to install it sooner if I knew it's possible...
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SMART METERS
UCAN TRUSTS SDG&E'S SMART METERS. THEY ARE GOING TO LAY OUT $572,000,000
TO SAVE US MONEY WITHOUT EXSPECTING SOME RETURN? AFTER ALL THE OVER CHARGING & GOUGHTING OVER THE YEARS. WHO FROM YOUR OFFICE WILL MONITOR THESE METERS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT SET IN THEIR FAVOR.
WHO'LL PAY FOR THE OPERATION OF THESE DIGITAL METERS.
I JUST DON'T TRUST SDG&E.
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Same plan has been introduced in our state bercelano.
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Thanks for the interesting
Thanks for the interesting news!
"Customers someday will use an online account to control their home appliances and adjust their thermostats" - Sounds very exciting. Anything that can be done online, I am for it.
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