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AMI FAQ

  • General

    • 1. Q. What is AMI?
      • A. AMI stands for Advanced Metering Infrastructure. It is a proven technology that enables Consolidated Electric (CEC) to perform many new cost-saving activities, including accurately reading electric meters remotely. AMI is also a significant component of what is generally referred to as the "Smart Grid".
    • 2. Q. How does AMI work?
      • A. As a member uses electricity, a meter records the usage. An electronic module inside the meter transmits the usage data over the power lines to a collector in the substation. Initially, the data collected in the substations will be transferred to the offices over a cellular data network. In the near future we will retrieve the data from our substations over our new fiber optic network.
    • 3. Q. What does the new AMI meter look like?
      • A. The meter's exterior appearance is similar to a typical new watt-hour meter (old meters operated mechanically, while all newer meters are electronic). The only difference is that an AMI module is installed inside the meter. At all locations, we will either install a new digital meter or insert the new communications module inside an existing digital meter. However, we will be replacing all of the older mechanical meters.
    • 4. Q. Who is eligible to receive AMI service?
      • A. Over the next twelve to fifteen months, all CEC accounts will receive these devices. CEC staff have identified which areas will receive the modules throughout the deployment schedule, beginning with those served out of our Oxford and Marengo substations. A detailed plan of deployment has been developed.
    • 5. Q. How will this system benefit me, the customer?
      • A. First and foremost, this system will save money; since CEC is not-for-profit, saving money means we can keep your rates as low as possible. Additionally, AMI will greatly reduce estimated meter readings and aid in outage notification and service restoration. In the near future you will also have the ability to view daily energy usage and other valuable information to better assist you in managing and evaluating your monthly electric costs. Eventually, you may be able to customize your billing date to work better with your budget.
    • 6. Q. Will AMI service interfere with my radio, telephone, computer, television, phones, wireless internet access, invisible fence or other equipment?
      • A. No. The transmitting device should not cause interference.
    • 7. Q. Is my account information secure?
      • A. Yes. Only meter readings and meter identification data are transmitted to our offices. The AMI system does not interact with, or transmit, personal customer information.
    • 8. Q. What if I also have a Bright Energy or Consolidated Gas meter in addition to my electric account? Will that meter also be read by the AMI meter?
      • A. No. Bright Energy and Consolidated Gas meters will not be affected by this change.
    • 9. Q. Who can I contact if I have additional questions?
      • A. If you have additional questions about this automated meter project, you can contact our Member Services Representatives at 800-421-5863 or via an email at service@consolidatedelectric.coop; they will be happy to answer your questions.

  • Installation

    • 1. Q. Can I request to have AMI installed on my meter if I am not a part of the early phase of the planned project?
      • A. No. Installing meters out of normal sequence would unduly increase the cost of the replacement project.
    • 2. Q. Who will install AMI and how will I be able to identify them?
      • A. CEC is coordinating the AMI project with its own staff and various contractor(s). All representatives will be driving marked vehicles with the phrase "Consolidated Electric Cooperative" or "Contractor for Consolidated Electric". Our employees can be identified by their photo identification badges, while contracted employees will have their company's photo badge along with an authorization letter on CEC letterhead. CEC staff and our contractors will perform on-going maintenance on all equipment once deployment is complete.
    • 3. Q. How will I know when I am scheduled to have my meter equipped with AMI technology?
      • A. You will receive notification by mail approximately three to four weeks before your meter is scheduled to be installed. As a courtesy, the installer will announce that your meter is about to be exchanged by knocking on your door to inform you of a brief electric interruption when the electric meter is being exchanged. This electric outage should only last about 10 minutes; however, you may want to be sure your computer data is saved and all sensitive equipment (including computers) is turned "off".
    • 4. Q. Is there anything I should do before the AMI device is installed at my property?
      • A. Yes. To make the meter exchange at your location go quickly and efficiently, you should clear an adequate work area around your electric meter to give our technician ready access to the meter. We would greatly appreciate your assistance in removing any obstructions or barriers, such as overgrown shrubs, siding or other obstacles from around your meter.
    • 5. Q. Will I need to be at home or at my business when you install the AMI device?
      • A. In most cases, you will not need to be at your home or business when the meter is exchanged. If no one is present, meter exchange technicians will leave a door hanger at your premises, either indicating that the meter was successfully exchanged or advising you that an appointment is required to access the meter for the exchange.
    • 6. Q. What happens if my meter is not accessible?
      • A. If the meter is not accessible, we will leave a notice at your door advising you of this issue and requesting that you contact our office to work with us on a solution.
    • 7. Q. I would like to be home when the AMI device is installed. Will your installers make an appointment with me?
      • A. Generally, no. Appointments will only be made for very unusual circumstances. Many factors determine when the devices will be installed at various locations, including the number of meters in an area, the route schedule, and installation efficiency. It would be too difficult and costly to meet appointment times.
    • 8. Q. How will I know if my meter has been exchanged?
      • A. If no one is at the home or business, we will generally leave a door hanger when we exchange the electric meter to indicate that a brief interruption of your electrical service has occurred. Also, you can call our offices and we will be glad to tell you.
    • 9. Q. A door hanger was left asking me to call. Why do I need to do that?
      • A. Most likely there was an unusual circumstance that needs to be resolved before we can install the new meter. Please call the phone number on the door hanger within five (5) business days so we can make the necessary arrangements.
    • 10. Q. How long will the meter exchange take?
      • A. We anticipate that the meter exchange will take about ten (10) minutes for each meter. It could take longer if you have obstructions (objects, landscaping, structures) blocking access to your meter, or if your facilities require additional maintenance. All efforts you make to help us gain access to your meter are sincerely appreciated.
    • 11. Q. Will my electric service be interrupted during the meter exchange?
      • A. In most cases, yes, but only briefly. Exchanging your meter will likely cause a short loss of service, so please be sure to follow manufacturers' recommendations to protect your equipment and data. Clocks, programmable thermostats and other devices may need to be reset after the meter exchange.
    • 12. Q. I have a generator that starts automatically when the power is off. What will happen during the meter exchange?
      • A. The meter exchange technician will knock on the door to inform you of a brief outage while the meter is exchanged. If the generator is equipped to transfer the power source automatically, we would expect the generator to come on when the meter is removed. In these cases, the loss of utility power should activate an automatic transfer switch that will isolate your generator from CEC's service. The technician will verify the transfer switch operated properly by checking for no back-feed voltage at the meter base; if no back-feed voltage is present, they will install the new AMI meter. The same sensing device that indicated a loss of CEC service and started the generator should detect that service has been restored, and respond as it normally would (some devices automatically switch back, while others do not).

  • Billing

    • 1. Q. Will I have to pay a fee to receive my new AMI meter?
      • A. No. There is not a separate additional charge to CEC members for the installation of AMI service.
    • 2. Q. How long before my meter is read by the AMI rather than by the meter reader?
      • A. The entire AMI project will be phased in over twelve to fifteen months. When meters in an area are all equipped with AMI devices, those meters will, from that date forward, be read remotely each month and not by a person. To confirm the equipment is operating properly and to perform routine maintenance, a meter reader will read the meter periodically as well as on a random schedule. We are performing quality assurance of our processes so you may see a member of our staff at your home or business several times just to be sure the exchange went as planned. Once the system is fully operational you can expect to see a meter reader approximately once every year.
    • 3. Q. Will this meter exchange affect my automatic Bank Draft or Budget Billing plan arrangements?
      • A. The AMI project will not affect your selected payment method such as bank draft or budget billing.
    • 4. Q. Will I still see meter readers in my area occasionally?
      • A. Yes. The use of AMI technology will significantly lessen, not eliminate, the need for traditional meter readers. We may on rare occasions still need to send employees to your area or home to inspect, monitor and maintain this and other equipment. Also, we will be performing periodic meter reads (typically yearly) to ensure the AMI system is functioning as designed.
    • 5. Q. Will my new meter be accurate?
      • A. Yes. Every meter is checked for accuracy before it leaves the factory and the staff of CEC randomly spot checks AMI meters to ensure the test data provided by our vendor is correct and accurate. The new digital meters are likely to be more accurate than the older meters that are in service now.
    • 6. Q. Will the timing change from when I am billed?
      • A. No. Members will see no difference in the timing or billing method for their monthly electric usage. Eventually you may have the option to modify your billing schedule.
    • 7. Q. When will I receive my first bill based on the new AMI technology?
      • A. Once we begin installation in your community or area, we will immediately begin to collect data from these meters and generate bills using the new technology. You should expect to see your first AMI based bill after we change your meter; for quality control purposes, however, you may see meter readers double-checking readings over the next several months following installation.