How is Energy Metering Acomplished
Energy metering is completed through the use of various different devices which are used to keep track of the power consumption that a home, business, office, apartment building, factory, or any other type of consumer uses.
At one time, these devices required that a technician read them in person each month by going from one address to another to collect the data that was stored. This meant that the technician had to take down the beginning number and the ending number, and then subtract to get the usage for the current cycle.
This was necessary because the device would continue to count upward from month to month from the beginning of its use until it was replaced. This was the way that the bill was configured each month based on the figures collected.
Energy metering in the past also relied on the power company, from time to time, to estimate the usage based on historical data acquired from a period specified by that company, such as a year’s period for example.
This was done to save money on sending a technician out to each and every resident. People had the right to challenge the estimated consumption if they felt it deviated too far from what the actual usage was for that cycle.
Today, energy metering is often done through a computer without anyone needing to physically visit the address to read the device in person. Thanks to technological advances in electronics and the equipment that derived from these inventions, tracking one’s consumption is only but a mere keystroke away on a computer in the power company’s office.
The computers not only keep track of the usage but can red flag an account if the consumption suddenly spikes upward without an explanation. This is helpful data because the power company can then alert the customer to a potential problem within their residence or business that would be seemingly causing this extraordinary use of additional power.
The utility company can also turn one’s power off or on without having to visit the residence thanks to the same type of technology that brought the new and improved energy metering equipment.
While this saves a great deal of time, effort, and money which ends up being a savings that is passed onto the consumer, this isn’t the only advantage that comes from the use of the newer types of energy metering.
The power company can also use this very specific and precise information to track what areas consume more power, and they can also determine what times of the day, month, or year that this consumption peaks or spikes.
This is extremely vital to the utility because, with this type of data, they can adjust their own generation to match the supply and demand schedule that is necessary for any particular neighborhood.
This stops the utility from over producing when there isn’t necessarily a need at the time as well as stopping them from under producing at a time when the power is needed the most and may not be available.
MXenergy offers energy metering and operates as a power company
for commercial as well as residential energy in many deregulated areas.
Please visit us at http://www.mxenergy.com/ for all your energy needs.
Author Bio: MXenergy offers energy metering and operates as a power company
for commercial as well as residential energy in many deregulated areas.
Category: Home Management
Keywords: energy metering, energy provider, energy prices, energy assessment