Dear Editor:
FortisBC has now exchanged nearly all electricity meters throughout the Southern Interior with advanced meters.
Most customers, including those throughout the Okanagan, are receiving bills based on wireless reads. This virtually eliminates billing estimates, something many of our customers have asked us to do over the years.
Other benefits, like automatic power outage notification and access to more timely and useful account information, are expected to become available next year.
In order to ensure our customers receive the most benefit from the project, all meters need to be exchanged.
There is no option to keep the old electricity meter. However, customers can choose to receive a radio-off advanced meter, which has the wireless signals disabled.
We’ve been working with some customers for months without reaching a resolution and we have now begun to disconnect a small number of customers who have refused to choose a meter.
I want to make clear that disconnection is a last resort and this is not the ideal outcome for anyone.
There is a cost to the additional time and resources spent working with customers who won’t choose a meter. In order to ensure the project is completed in a timely and efficient manner, disconnection has become necessary in a small number of cases.
Advanced meters are certified by government, professional and safety organizations. They are installed safely and the process included a meter base inspection. If we found any safety issues, we hired local certified electricians to make the repairs.
Among other benefits, the new meters are also more difficult to tamper with and reduce costly electricity theft, saving millions of dollars, increasing public safety and lowering the overall cost of delivering electricity to you.
FortisBC sought approval for the project from provincial energy regulator, the BC Utilities Commission.
As part of the regulatory process, we engaged our customers through public hearings where expert witnesses discussed health, safety and privacy. The BCUC approved the project, finding it to be in the public interest.
With more than 50 million advanced meters in operation in North America, utilities all over Canada and the U.S. have found that these meters are a cost-effective way to improve the electricity system for the benefit of all customers.
We encourage those who have questions about the meters to call us at 1-866-436-7847. More information is available online at fortisbc.com/ami.
Mark Warren, Director,
Customer Service, Technology and Systems,
FortisBC
