Our Offices will be closed Dec. 31st in observance of the New Year

Advanced Metering Infrastructure refers to systems that measure and collect energy usage, and interact with electric meters on request or on a schedule.

These digital meters work in combination with a communication network that provides two-way communication; both transmitting and receiving information recorded by the meter.

The new meters record energy usage, peak demand, energy used per hour, voltage, the number of times the meter has experienced a loss of power and the date and time for each of these events.

Reliability – These meters allow us to expedite power restoration by quickly and accurately pinpointing outage locations. They also record power quality (such as blinks) so we can correct problems before they cause outages.
Efficiency – With these meters, Karnes Electric can both read, and in some cases, reconnect meters from the office. This technology reduces fleet mileage and expedites business processes. Better information on system demand and usage helps us distribute power more efficiently and cost-effectively.
Affordability – Operating more efficiently helps us reduce overall costs. The updated meters allow for daily usage data retrieval so members may be able to manage their own electric usage and costs.
Data Retrieval – In the future, members will have the opportunity to view daily usage data in electronic format from their home PC, tablet or smartphone.

Meter readings are transmitted back to the cooperative every four hours.

Karnes Electric has been protecting its members’ information for nearly 80 years. Our privacy policies prohibit us from releasing any confidential member information to unauthorized parties. The meter and associated communication system are equipped with security features to prevent unauthorized access.

No. Digital meters are a part of our normal cost to deliver the power you need. Reliability and efficiency improvements offset the cost of digital meters over conventional electromechanical meters.

No. The rate that you are on prior to the installation of the updated meter will stay the same.

Yes. We will need to do routine maintenance and inspection of the meter which will require access to the meter. We may also need access to the meter when restoring outages.

No. Research conducted by the Electric Power Research Institute, the Utilities Telecom Council and others has revealed no health impacts from this type of meter. The radio frequencies emitted by the meter fall well below the maximum recommended in federal guidelines. Contrary to some misconceptions, the new meters emit radio frequencies (RF) only when responding to a request for data from the cooperative office or when the data is pushed out of the meter once every four hours, for less than a second. Compare this activity to a laptop with a wireless connection, which is constantly sending and retrieving data. A digital meter equipped to send and receive data has an RF density hundreds of times less than the RF density of a cell phones – and the meters are installed on the outside of your house not next to your ear.

No. The radio frequency of these meters will not impact other equipment in the home.

No. The meter is owned by Karnes Electric.

No. Karnes Electric’s implementation of these meters does not include ZigBee®; a chip which would enable communication with in-home devices.

Yes. When you have an outage or emergency situation, you are encouraged to call us. The new meters help us identify the extent of an outage and assist in verifying restoration.

Yes. Some of the meters Karnes Electric installs will be remote disconnect/reconnect capable.