degggendorf t1_jee60vm wrote
Reply to comment by OldBlueBalls in Meter replacement carries $200M shock: Rhode Island Energy’s advanced metering proposal ‘costs would be borne by ratepayers’ by york100
> “The Advanced Metering Functionality (AMF) Business Case … we submitted to the (RI PUC) is an important step in modernizing the state’s energy infrastructure for the benefit of all Rhode Islanders. Approximately 60% of our existing meters are nearing the end of their design life and need to be replaced.”
>The power provider insists the new technologies included in the AMF proposal will provide their “customers with greater control, choice, and convenience in managing their energy consumption.”
More info here: https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/products/utility-grid-solutions/advanced-metering-infrastructure/fundamentals-of-ami.html
edit: or here is a more objective source with more academic results: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/12/f34/AMI%20Summary%20Report_09-26-16.pdf
> Major Findings
> SGIG projects demonstrated that AMI and customer systems can achieve substantial grid impacts and benefits for customers and utilities, including:
> - Reduced costs for metering and billing from fewer truck rolls, labor savings, more accurate and timely billing, fewer customer disputes, and improvements in operational efficiencies.
> - More customer control over electricity consumption, costs, and bills from greater use of new customer tools (e.g., web portals and smart thermostats) and techniques (e.g., shifting demand to off-peak periods).
> - Lower utility capital expenditures and customer bill savings resulting from reduced peak demand and improvements in asset utilization and maintenance.
> - Lower outage costs and fewer inconveniences for customers from faster outage restoration and more precise dispatching of repair crews to the locations where they are needed.
whatnodeaddogwilleat t1_jeeilkp wrote
I can't think of a single meter-based choice I've made.
What, would it send me an app message when I hit a threshold? I already get a lovely e-mail telling me how much higher my electric usage is vs. my neighbors because I have electric appliances (shocked pikachu face).
degggendorf t1_jeekere wrote
> I can't think of a single meter-based choice I've made.
So if you're unconcerned with monitoring or reducing your energy usage, the smart meter might be of limited use to you.
But for other people, it would be like an energy metering smart plug, but for the whole house. Could help monitor (and reduce) your energy consumption in real time, rather than being surprised at the end of the month by some erratic usage.
Unless someone is out there with a stopwatch timing their meter spinning, in which case this wouldn't add any functionality.
iandavid t1_jefwtgl wrote
This is correct. As someone who currently monitors my meter in real-time using rtlamr2mqtt, I can vouch for the benefits of knowing your energy usage in real-time. I had a rooftop solar array installed recently, and I use real-time monitoring to see whether I’m generating excess energy, which helps me know when the best time is to run my clothes dryer or charge my car. It absolutely helps people make better choices around their energy usage, and I think it’s something everyone would benefit from if it was more easily accessible.
Professional-Ask-630 t1_jeg90p7 wrote
why does anyone need a meter app to understand how to reduce their energy usage? "oh golly gee, you wouldn't believe it but having a Samsung Smart fridge, TV's on , and a million devices plugged into my outlets at all time made my electric bill go up. " it should be pretty common sense on how to lower your energy consumption. maybe deal with the heat a little bit instead of running constant ac, dress a little more cozy inside in for the winter, take a shorter shower that's not scalding hot.
keevisgoat t1_jegedr5 wrote
It maybe we make some nuclear plants in the middle of nowhere and forget about this
degggendorf t1_jeh09t6 wrote
Those are perfect examples. How much does your TV cost to run? How much more (or less) are you spending with a "smart" fridge over a "dumb" one? What is the value of that vampire current when everything is "off"? Literally, tell me. Dollars and cents. How much is it for you? How much less will you spend if you set the AC to 76 instead of 74? How much does a shower cost per minute? How much do you save taking a "hot" shower instead of a "scalding hot" shower?
OldBlueBalls t1_jef2mwq wrote
I read the article but I appreciate the additional info
degggendorf t1_jef3bzr wrote
Yeah on paper it sounds like this initial investment will/should pay for itself in the long term and benefit everyone involved.
But in reality, I'm sure we will get some of those tech benefits, but never see that hypothetical cost savings.
monkiesandtool t1_jefpttn wrote
In theory, having the AMR would be able to determine theft of service cases, lowering the overall cost.
From a prior job responsibility (verifying potential address for gas work), on any given list, there would a decent number of locations (based upon AMR data) that theft of services was occurring
degggendorf t1_jefqrdo wrote
Oh neat, I didn't realize that theft was anything more than a drop in the bucket. Thanks for the info!
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