PSO’s Sand Springs customers to receive high-tech digital meters

Pallets with boxes of digital meters are examined by a worker at PSO’s Tulsa Hubsite. (Photo by: Stevee Heard)

(Story by Tracy J. Harper)

SAND SPRINGS, Okla. — Sand Springs customers of Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) will soon be receiving new high-tech digital meters as part of PSO’s gridSMART initiative. The new meters, which are part of an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system, will allow customers to easily access information about their electric usage and better control their energy costs.

The meter installations are slated to begin in mid-November, according to Stephanie Johnson, gridSMART coordinator for PSO. Approximately 8,000 residential meters and 800 commercial meters will be upgraded to the new technology.

The installation of communicating digital meters in Sand Springs will mark PSO’s fourth major deployment of the AMI technology.

“The Sand Springs digital meters will be the same type we installed in Owasso and on the University of Tulsa campus, and the same kind that we are currently installing in Okmulgee,” said Derek Lewellen, gridSMART and Meter Revenue Operations manager.

“We can communicate with the meters through a wireless network, which allows us to read the meters remotely and respond faster to service requests for connects and disconnects,” Lewellen said.

Like other customers with high-tech digital meters, the Sand Springs customers will eventually be able to view their electric usage online in, with information updated in 15-minute intervals through PSO’s web portal.

Installation of the meters is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.