New Digital Meters Save Energy, Money, PSO Says

The Public Service Company of Oklahoma says two thirds of electric meters in Tulsa have been replaced with digital models. 

By December, PSO expects to have all of them replaced, opening up new options for the power company and its customers.

PSO plans to use an exhibit at the Tulsa State Fair to explain the new technology. It gives customers more information and more options to control their use and how much they pay.

The new meters make it possible. They report data back to the power company in real time and give customers several new options to cut back their usage.

"It helps us reduce our peak energy usage which helps us save money,” PSO’s Derek Lewellen said. “We can avoid building a power plant or other infrastructure during critical peaks, to meet the critical peaks, so it helps all our customers if we can reduce costs."

All of the programs explained in the exhibit are optional. If a customer does nothing, their rates stay the same.

But customers can learn how PSO will give out rebates in exchange for having some control over the thermostat.

"And the customers have that choice with the thermostat,” Lewellen said. “They can hit opt out, and they have full control of their thermostat.”

It's the first time PSO has tried an outreach program at the Tulsa State Fair, and its exhibit has screens for children to use while parents will be the ones looking at how to save money.

They're encouraging people to start monitoring usage through the new technology and to take advantage of a program that in most cases saves 6 to 10 percent.

"Today you use your energy and next month we send you a bill after the fact,” Lewellen said. “Well, now you can see real time, how much am I using, can I make a difference."

You can get more information here.