CUB Calls on PGE to Expedite Meter Exchange
Posted on July 23, 2014 by Bob Jenks
Tags, Consumers and Utility Customers, Generation, Transmission, Distribution
Portland General Electric announced on Wednesday, July 23, 2014 that 70,000 smart meters installed in homes throughout its service territory between 2010 and 2012 will be exchanged due to recent company tests showing that they do not meet PGE’s operational and safety standards. Three small fires involving PGE’s smart meters have been reported in the service territory, one of which caused minor property damage.
PGE has said it will exchange all 70,000 meters by the end of October of this year. CUB calls on PGE to do everything in its power to speed up this timeline. The news release in which the meter recall was announced recommended that customers check smoke detectors, have an emergency exit plan in place, and keep flammable materials away from electrical appliances.
While CUB agrees that these precautions are important in any home or business, we also believe that PGE has a responsibility to its customers to fix the problem quickly, considering interim solutions if necessary. A utility customer should never have to worry about whether or not their electric meter is a fire hazard. PGE must resolve this issue quickly, for the sake of their customers’ safety.
PGE deployed its first pilot batch of smart meters in 2001, and these first-run meters only lasted 25% of their expected lifespan. Then in 2007, in Public Utility Commission docket UE 189, PGE proposed installing an additional 70,000 meters to replace the first-run batch and expand the service. Those replacement meters are the same ones that are now being exchanged.
CUB expressed concerns at that time that PGE was moving too quickly, and proposed that the company wait 2-5 years until California had a chance to resolve any issues with the technology through its statewide smart meter deployment. As CUB stated in our testimony, “We understand that it is exciting to be on the cutting edge of carbon-constrained energy policy, but it is not a good idea to stake that energy policy on a capital investment that is premature and ill-formed.”
Most of the smart meters to be exchanged are installed in rental properties. No businesses are affected. PGE has mailed letters out to all affected residents, and launched a website – PGEMeterExchange.com – where customers can enter their 8-digit meter number to see if it is one of the meters to be exchanged. More information is available from PGE’s customer service department at 877-835-1435.
Photo credit: PGE Meter Exchange FAQ
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04/14/17 | 0 Comments | CUB Calls on PGE to Expedite Meter Exchange