What is a Smart Meter?
Smart meters provide customers with more information than ever before about how they use electricity.
With a smart meter, you no longer have to wait for your monthly bill to see how much you are spending on electricity. This can help you make more informed energy choices throughout the month.
Here you will find helpful information regarding a smart meter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Smart meters track your consumption digitally – with no moving parts – and then use a secure radio frequency band to communicate directly with your Transmission and Distribution Utility (TDU) through intelligent devices installed on the electrical grid.
This technology is Internet Protocol (IP) based radio frequency mesh. The RF capability means the meters communicate through radio frequency. Each meter is equipped with a full two-way 900 MHz radio transmitter that sends and receives information to an access point which is also radio-equipped. The access point is the collection point for the meter information that is sent back into the system at your local TDU. Each access point, which is typically mounted on a power pole, is the size of a shoe box and can handle communications to thousands of meters. New RF mesh technology expands the ability of a meter to communicate to an access point by allowing the signal to be relayed off of other meters to find a path and maintain the connection required for communications.
The smart meter will not increase the amount of electricity you use. It is the amount of electricity you use that determines the amount of your monthly bill. It is important to note that electricity usage does vary significantly throughout the year, with weather as the largest contributing factor. If you would like to reduce your electricity costs, Gexa Energy has a variety of tips and programs that can help you. Learn more.
The smart meter gives you more information about your electricity usage, and thus allows you to use this information to make choices that could save you money. But ultimately, it’s the choices you make that determine how much electricity you use, and consequently, how much you’re billed.