What We Are Up To

Out with the old, In with the new - meters, that is.

The old meters may not really be that “old” , however, beginning February 17, 2009, Northwestern REC crews began the transition from the “old” spin-dial meters to their new Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) counterparts.

Placement of this new technology is the final stage in the process that will enable communication to and from the advanced meters. Transmitting over the power lines, Northwestern REC will be able to collect, measure and analyze current electric usage from each meter. The immediacy of this information will also benefit members who may call in with questions about their energy consumption and how to adjust it.

Other than having a digital display, the new meters look very similar to the old. As a matter of fact, members may not even realize the meter change until they discover a service notice left by a Co-op employee - and the blinking clocks inside their homes.

With approximately 20,000 Cooperative members, the entire meter exchange process is expected to take three years. At the end of February, 532 meters had been converted to new Automated Meter Reading (AMR) devices.

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NREC News