Discover Smart Meter, whose state-of-the-art technology offers a host of benefits, including eliminating the need to send a representative to your home each month to read your meter.
Your Meter is Now Smarter
We’re excited that all of Georgia Power’s 2.4 million customers have been upgraded to a Smart Meter. Smart Meters enable us to remotely read a customer’s meter without having to send out meter readers every month.
Smart Meter allows us to provide you with:
- Quicker power-restoration times – Smart Meters notify us if a power outage occurs, helping us quickly pinpoint any problems and restore your power.
- Increased access to your energy – Usage information gives you more control over your monthly bill.
- More pricing options than ever – So you can take advantage of current and future pricing rates that match your lifestyle.
- Reduction in pollution – Smart Meters allow us to take nearly 300 vehicles off the road and eliminate 14 million miles of travel.
The energy use information collected by your smart meter can show you how your home is using electricity and help you manage your energy costs.
Smart Meter
Smart Meter - Fact or Fiction
You may have heard or read some things on the internet that leave you with questions or concerns about Smart Meters. This video addresses some common misconceptions, and gives you the facts about Georgia Power's Smart Meters. Please contact us If you still have any questions after watching the video.
How to Read your Smart Meter
A Smart Meter simply measures the amount of electricity a customer uses. The primary difference between a Smart Meter and an older mechanical meter is that the Smart Meter can automatically and remotely transmit a customer’s total electric usage to Georgia Power using a radio signal.
Reading your Smart Meter is easy. In fact, it’s similar to reading the odometer on a car – only instead of calculating the miles you’ve driven; your smart meter shows you how much electricity you used.
Electricity usage is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). A Smart Meter measures the amount of kWh you’ve used.
A Georgia Power Smart Meter displays a series of numbers. If you view your Smart Meter and see 8888888, this means the display is in ‘test’ ‘mode, indicating the meter is working properly. After a brief moment more numbers will appear. This is your meter reading.
To find out how much energy (kWh) you’ve used over a given time, take an initial meter reading. At a later time, take a second reading. Subtract the first reading from the second reading to determine how much electricity you have used during that time.
Using this meter as an example, the initial meter reading is 35832. If you go back to the meter at a later date and it reads 36500, then you’ve used 668 kWh for that time period (36500 – 35832 = 668).
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a Smart Meter work?
A Smart Meter simply measures the amount of electricity a customer uses. The primary difference between a Smart Meter and an older mechanical meter is that the Smart Meter can automatically and remotely transmit a customer’s total electric usage to Georgia Power using a radio signal.
How does a Smart Meter send information?
To send information, Smart Meters transmit relatively low power radio signals similar to those used by cell phones, baby monitors and garage door openers
How often do Smart Meters transmit data?
Smart Meters send readings on average for about one second each day.
Will installing a Smart Meter raise the amount of my energy bill?
No. There is no additional service charge for having a Smart Meter. Your Smart Meter records your whole house energy usage just the same as your old mechanical meter.
Will the Smart Meter decrease my energy bill?
No; however, it will provide you with the opportunity to view your usage online and make choices, such as new rate options that will best fit your lifestyle and your wallet.
Will the Smart Meter force me to change how I use energy?
No. A Smart Meter only gathers whole-house readings, just like a mechanical meter. It does not have the ability to monitor or control individual appliances.
Can a Smart Meter track how I am using electricity?
No. The Smart Meter only takes whole house readings of your energy usage, just like a mechanical meter.
Can a Smart Meter control my appliances?
Yes. Customer usage data is sent over a private, dedicated network. The meter information is identified by radio number only, not the customer's name or address. Usage data is stored on secure company servers.
Is the transmission of my personal information secure?
Yes. Customer usage data is sent over a private, dedicated network. The meter information is identified by radio number only, not the customer's name or address. Usage data is stored on secure company servers.
Are Smart Meters safe?
Yes. Any claim that the meters are radioactive is entirely false. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limits for radio transmitters of all types, including Smart Meters. Georgia Power Smart Meters operate at only a fraction of the safe power limits identified by the FCC guidelines for safe exposure.
*Source Exponent Report to NV Energy
I have heard the government ordered Georgia Power to install Smart Meters. Is this true?
No. Georgia Power has received no funding from Washington or any other outside entity to install these meters. The decision to upgrade and install the new meters was requested by Georgia Power to improve meter reading efficiency and was approved by the Georgia Public Service commission in 2006.
I have heard the meters are a fire hazard. Is this true?
No. We have investigated all Smart Meter fire claims in Georgia and none have been the fault of the meter.
Can I opt out of the Smart Meter Program?
Yes. Customers who prefer to maintain a mechanical meter at their residence can now do so with a basic service charge of $20.10 per month. Customers can request removal of their smart meters by emailing G2SMARTMTR@southernco.com.
