Project benefits and costs
About MID’s SMART meter upgrade project

MID is upgrading all residential and commercial electric meters beginning in Dec. 2008. Customers may see authorized technicians from MID or our contractor, Wellington Energy, installing digital “smart” meters in their areas.

Starting in 2009, MID will use a secure, wireless communication system (similar to a cellular telephone network) to read electric meters by remote control.

Project breakeven
MID anticipates recouping the approximately $21.27 million investment in the SMART meter project in a five- to ten-year time frame and passing on subsequent savings to ratepayers.

Project benefits

• Streamlined, lower cost operations. Examples include faster service connections and disconnections when customers move, on-demand meter reads for renters moving in or out and lowering the cost of routine monthly meter reading.
• Because MID is a customer-owned utility and operates on a not-for-profit basis, these cost savings will be passed on to customers in future years.
• More efficient energy use. Digital smart meters will encourage customers to use electricity more efficiently by providing near real-time feedback about energy use and enabling time-based electric rates in the future.
• Faster outage repair. If your power goes out, MID will know automatically and dispatch repair crews faster and more efficiently.
• Saving gas, sparing the air. MID will drive over 200,000 fewer miles for meter reading each year, spend less money on gasoline and reduce air emissions by an estimated:
• 100 pounds of particulates
• 300-320 pounds of NOX (nitrogen oxides) and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). These gases, which remain in unburnt fuel, react with other chemicals in the presence of heat and sunlight to form ozone.

      * Estimates courtesy of San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.

• Intelligent energy savings. Digital smart meters speak the same language as next-generation “smart” appliances. They will also make possible the automated energy conservation programs of the future.

Project costs

updated 01/16/09