Smart Meters Spreading In San Diego- Saving You Money

Submitted by guest blogger Nicole

If you live in San Diego,California or other areas you may already be familiar with this new meter that is being installed into neighborhoods by SDG&E. Replacing the old electric meters, 700 smart meters are being installed per day on average. This three year program started in the north part of San Diego in 2009 and is working its way throughout the surrounding counties, ending in Orange County.

Let me explain the difference in case you aren’t aware. The new digital version is designed to communicate with SDG&E and you. For me personally, and I’m sure most of the population would agree, the old electric meters made no sense. It was a dial of numbers that supposedly kept track of something. With the new smart meter, the common household is able to decipher the date, time, and current meter read. Both sides benefit from this change. It’s good for us because we can actually see the energy we are using on a daily basis and use that knowledge to help save money. It’s good for SDG&E because they can manage overall energy needs. The smart meter reads 3x a day for accurate and up-to-date measures. Not only that, you had to trust the meter man that he could find your meter and read it correctly.

I was able to compare the original electric meter with the new digital version, and the difference is extreme. The new one has digital numbers for a quick, easy read, allowing the average person to understand it. With this meter, it will not require a special technician to come out and record the data.  (Less human error) plus you have the advantage of tracking when and where your energy is peaking, allowing you to control the energy output of your house or office.

The best part, no job elimination, the old meter readers are being re-trained and recycled into other positions. We like that, always a good thing that people can be re-trained into other jobs.