Bill-shocked electric and gas utility customers who are trying to cut their energy consumption 30 days after the fact will be a relic of the past.
As part of its ongoing
SmartCurrents program, DTE Energy will be installing another 450,000 advanced electric meters and gas modules (smart meters), with 120,000 of those destined for Washtenaw County. The cost of the installation is $66 million, according to Scott Simons, a DTE Energy spokesperson.
The meters are being installed in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Ypsilanti Township this month. Dexter, Dexter Township, and Scio Township will see theirs starting in April, followed by Saline, Saline Township, Superior Township, and Whitmore Lake in May. Installations in Chelsea, Milan, Manchester, and York Township will begin in June.
With the new technology, meters will be read remotely and power outages trackable down to the individual meter. It also allows for customers to track their daily energy consumption.
"Customers will be able to see their individual energy usage online and make usage decisions with that information," Simons says in an email. "They can also choose to purchase in-home displays and programmable thermostats, and even appliances, that work with the meter."
Source: Scott Simons, DTE Energy spokesperson
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
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