Reading the Power Meter

Finding the cable that allowed me to download the image of my power meter took much longer than taking the photo. I was surprised to see that Georgia Power had already switched out my old meter for a Smart Meter. And I was thrilled I didn't have to read dials!
But apparently not everyone is happy with the new Smart Meters. A number of complaints have been leveled against Georgia Power about utility bills that increased dramatically after installation. One post, however, insists that increases simply reflect a malfunction picked up by the new meter ... in the home's HVAC or some other energy-draining problem. Our utility bill seems in line with consumption. Actually, bills since installation are lower than they were a year ago, and more in keeping with where we keep our thermostat. This past summer we challenged a utility bill after finding they were "estimating" our usage ... meaning they weren't actually reading it every month.

Georgia Power is making a north to south sweep of the state. By August 2012, all of Georgia will have new meters. Here's a map that shows installation progress and when you can expect to receive your Smart Meter if you live here.