Con Edison Smart Meters Give Customers the Power of Information

As Con Edison closes in on completion of its smart meter installation program, the technology is transforming the way customers monitor their usage, helping them save money, and contributing to a cleaner environment.

The meters give the company and its customers the power of information to make smarter energy decisions. And helping customers make smarter energy decisions is one of the reasons why in 2017 the company began installing more than 4.8 million smart meters, the largest capital project in Con Edison’s history. The $1.285 billion investment places gas and electric meters at homes and businesses throughout the region. 

The meters also provide Con Edison with information on customer outages, allowing crews to begin restoring service more quickly.

 

Smarter Grid with Lower Emissions

Smart meter technology enables Con Edison to operate the grid more efficiently. Operating at ideal voltage levels reduces the amount of power flowing on the grid and the amount of fuel generators use to make the electricity, cutting down on emissions. It also means savings on customers’ bills.

The company estimates that its smart meter voltage optimization initiative avoids the same quantity of carbon emissions that 56,000 vehicles produce in a year. 

 

Customer-Friendly Features

Smart meters provide customers with near-real-time information on their energy usage with the My Account feature on the Con Edison website, providing insights that can help in managing costs and making wise energy decisions.

Customers can also get customized energy efficiency program enrollment opportunities and recommendations to control their energy costs.

Residential customers can participate in Con Edison’s award-winning Smart Usage Program to earn incentives for reducing energy usage at times when the demand for power is high, usually on hot summer days.

 

Easier to Do Business

Meter readings are transmitted wirelessly and greatly reduce the need for estimated meter reads. Service to most customers can be activated or transferred remotely.

 

Safer Natural Gas

Customers served by a Con Edison gas meter get the benefit of a natural gas detector, a first-of-its-kind device developed by Con Edison and its partners. The detectors send alerts over the company’s wireless network, notifying the company about potentially hazardous gas leaks in real time. For more information click here.

 

Faster Restorations and Curtailing Outages 

Con Edison uses smart meters to verify outage status and deploy crews more efficiently. The company estimates that this capability has reduced the unnecessary deployment of crews more than 40,800 times since 2018.