SEQUIM — Clallam County PUD commissioners have updated the agency’s residential meter policy to offer digital, non-transmitting meters as an opt-out option for customers who prefer meters that do not wirelessly transmit radio frequency waves.
The move, agreed upon last month, follows a rising difficulty to obtain analog meters due to decreased inventory and parts, staff report.
The agency only has 13 unused analog meters available, according to the PUD’s board meeting minutes.
The PUD has been updating its utility meters since 2019 to automatic meter infrastructure (AMI), or “smart meters,” that can be read wirelessly rather than in person.
Following customers’ requests, the PUD started offering two opt-out options, a digital meter and an analog meter that do not wirelessly transmit radio frequency (RF) waves.
Going forward, customers who have opted out of an AMI meter will be given a digital meter that does not transmit wirelessly if their analog meter fails, staff said.
The only functional difference is that the digital meter has a digital sensor and display, staff said.
So far the PUD has converted 22,000 of 33,500 meters to an AMI meter, staff said, and 136 customers have opted out of the conversion, with 78 of those customers paying $8 a month to cover costs for staff to read, calibrate and maintain their meters.
Meter readers will continue to perform bi-monthly readings for all opt-out customers, the PUD said.
With the analog-to-digital meter change, the opt-out fee remains the same, staff said.
Chris Earl, the PUD’s meter foreman, said via email an AMI meter costs the public utility district about $130, and he didn’t have a cost estimate for a digital non-transmitting meter because he’s been reusing the agency’s newest models instead of trying to purchase them.
“The advanced meters record customer energy usage data just like your old meter but the readings are sent to the PUD via RF waves, similar to communication by cell phones and Wi-Fi but at a significantly lower energy level,” according to the PUD’s frequently asked questions on its website.
“Based on average reads, the total transmitting period over a full year will average about 12 minutes,” staff said.
“Standing in front of an advanced meter for an entire year is roughly the same exposure to RF as a six-minute 4G cell phone call or wirelessly streaming anything,” staff said.
An AMI meter transmits both ways and, according to the FAQ page, reduces staff time to access customers’ properties to read meters, increases customers’ billing accuracy and provides an opportunity for issues to be addressed or diagnosed remotely.
AMI meters “only transmit total power consumed, instantaneous voltage, device numeric identification, and disconnect position (on/off),” the PUD said.
By switching to AMI meters, staff said the agency has reduced costs by more than $300,000 a year.
For more information on how to opt out, visit clallampud.net/advanced-meter-opt-out.
For opt-out customers with multiple electric meters, or with both a PUD electric and water meter, the opt-out fee shall be assessed per service address, provided that the same account holder is named on all accounts, the PUD said.
Those who have questions about the updated meter policy or the opt-out program can call the PUD’s customer service line at 360-452-9771.
________
Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. He can be reached by email at matthew.nash@sequimgazette.com.
