What are “advanced meters”?
“Advanced meters” are solid state electrical meters that utilities install to collect and transmit metering information back to its office. These replace the analog type meters which were limited to just displaying the total usage and required the utility to visit each meter monthly to manually read the meter.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) … What is it?
The name sounds complicated, but Nolin RECC’s new AMI meter is very similar to your previous meter. The new metering system allows faster communication from the meter to the Nolin RECC office. It also provides a variety of benefits, including better customer service, improved reliability and greater operational efficiency.
How does my automated meter work?
With AMI meters, Nolin can read the meter remotely from our central office. Information from the meter is transmitted back to the co-op. Transmitting this information electronically means that a meter reader no longer visits your home to manually read the meter monthly.
What data is collected by the meter?
The meter records the following information:
- Total kWh usage.
- KW values for each hour.
- Instantaneous voltage values for each hour.
- Blink counts.
How secure is the meter data?
Nolin considers member information security a top priority. The data transmitted through the AMI system to and from the meter is encrypted using a special proprietary technique. We continue to monitor and test for security threats.
Are “advanced meters” accurate?
These meters follow multiple accuracy standards testing both by the manufacturers and the utilities. In addition, the Kentucky Public Service Commission requires sample testing each year on a defined amount of the installed meters.
What are the specific benefits of AMI?
Here are just a few of the benefits made available through AMI technology:
- Improves electric service reliability and power quality = fewer outages and blinks.
- Allows more respect for member privacy and property access – With this new system, the only time Nolin will need to physically be at your meter is if there is an electric service problem or when we perform the Public Service Commission required meter test. Inspection of the electric service Is every 2 years.
- Improves outage notification and management process by more quickly pinpointing the exact location of outages, meaning a faster response time.
- Provides additional metering data to better assist members with billing and service questions.
- Gives capability to provide members with valuable usage information such as consumption patterns, outage and blink count history and voltage information.
- Reduces losses by identifying power theft.
- Gain efficiencies by eliminating the labor and transportation costs of in-person meter reading.
- Ensures better overall safety for Nolin employees.
- Promotes energy efficiency by enabling real-time customer feedback.
Can obstacles be constructed that may make the meter inaccessible?
No. Reasonable access to equipment still must be maintained. This allows for Cooperative personnel to either read or maintain the meter if necessary at reasonable times. Routine inspections of all meters and services will continue in order to look for safety hazards, theft or other problems.
Will the new meter notify the co-op when the power goes out?
Yes, however, a member can contact the Cooperative at (270) 765-6153 to add information relevant to an outage (i.e. broken pole, line down, etc) in our IVR automated voice system. If a member prefers to report an outage, that can be done via the phone system, SmartHub, our website, or by texting OUT to 768-482 from a mobile number associated with the Nolin account.