High-Tech Electric In Fairhope

After mentioning an issue with our power, the City of Fairhope sends an electric crew to check the connections feeding our home. And while they’re at it, they install what’s called an AMI power meter (most folks call them smart meters). AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) meters represent a big step forward compared to conventional meters that have been around for decades. Because the new meters transmit electric usage data electronically every hour using a secure network, it won’t be necessary to read the old way, which requires a worker driving by the location, says David Garrick, Fairhope Electric’s AMI coordinator. The meters will also send notifications to system operators if power fails or falls outside of a specified operating range. This means that–eventually, when the system is fully operational–you shouldn’t have to call to report power out, since the City will probably already know it. In the meantime, though, it’s recommended that you still call if your power drops. The new technology means you’ll eventually be able to monitor your own usage and that readings should be more accurate. If your home doesn’t have one of the new meters, it will–that’s because crews are installing the devices on every home Fairhope Electric serves. Crew members tell me they’ve heard a few residents expressing concern that the new system might allow their personal information to be stolen. But Garrick says there’s no need to worry. The new meters, he says, are GPS based and do not relay personal information in the data they send out. A crew member tells me they hope to finish installations by the end of the year…