All Co-op members have now received their AMR (Automated Meter Reading) meters, allowing Flathead Electric to offer faster and better service over the years to come. Some members have questions about their new meters, however, and we want to take this opportunity to not only alleviate concerns, but to also explain fully how the technology is going to benefit the members and the Cooperative as a whole:
How does Automated Meter Reading (AMR) work?
Using a power line carrier, FEC can bring meter reading information and other electronic data back from the member’s location to the Cooperative almost instantly.
Do members have a choice in getting a new meter?
No. New AMR meters have been installed on all FEC accounts. The Cooperative has embarked on a system-wide AMR program that changed 100 percent of existing residential and commercial meters to AMR, in order to acquire more accurate information and reduce the need to access a member’s property.
Will the cost of the meters be reflected on my bill?
No. Due to efficiencies gained, the meters will pay for themselves over time.
I am concerned about radio frequency…can’t that be harmful to my health?
The meters do not use radio frequency (RF) to send information to FEC- the information is carried through the power lines only.
Why did we update to the newer system?
The AMR system provides FEC members with numerous member service and cost saving benefits including:
Will meter readers ever need to come to read the meter manually again?
Probably not. Meter readers will no longer regularly need to spend valuable time traveling to every meter for a monthly read.
Since FEC employees will no longer need to read the meter, can obstacles be constructed that may make the meter inaccessible?
No. Reasonable access to equipment still must be maintained. Routine inspections of all meters and services will continue, in order to look for safety hazards, theft or other problems.
What information does the new meter record?
The new meter records an electronic kWh reading of energy usage, the
overall peak demand of the electric account and the number of times the
meter has experienced a loss of power for any reason. It cannot
determine how you are using energy. Some members mistakenly think that
FEC will use the device to monitor what electric devices they are using
in their home - this is not the case.
AMR meters cannot be used for surveillance.
Will someone other than FEC be able to read the new meter?
No. The AMR computer software is especially written for the FEC system. Someone using a home computer will not be able to read this electric meter. All meter data is secure and stored at the meter, then downloaded to the computers at FEC’s headquarters. The FEC meter display is visible for members to be able to check their consumption. All other information and data stored in the meter is secure and the meter is sealed.
Can the Cooperative disconnect electric service using the new meters?
Not without additional equipment. The system can, however, send connect/disconnect orders.
What if my bill reports more kWh usage than normal or I think my meter is not working correctly?
In some cases, members have not had accurate bill reads from the older meters. The new meters will show more accurate reads and eliminate human error, because electronic meters are more accurate than analog or mechanical meters. These AMR’s have been tested and meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) regulations. If you feel there are discrepancies in the meter reads, contact FEC right away to discuss your billing concerns.
Okay, so asking members to actually “embrace their blinks” may be a stretch (resetting clocks is a hassle after all), but it is important to at least understand why your lights sometimes dim or blink, especially during inclement weather. The power lines that serve your home have a variety of protective devices designed to keep your power on during storms. There are several reasons your lights might blink during a storm, but the most common cause is tree movement. Despite our best efforts to keep trees near our lines trimmed on a regular basis, strong winds can cause those trees to make contact with wires. When that happens, your lights may dim, or you might lose power for a few seconds as the system operates to identify and clear the problem. Without the protective equipment, members could experience a prolonged outage instead. If you have an ongoing reason for concern however, don’t hesitate to contact your Cooperative.
By MIKE DENNISON, Lee Newspaper State Bureau
NorthWestern Energy, the state's dominant power company, still has some of the highest residential electric rates among major utilities in the region - but utilities in neighboring states are creeping up a little closer in price.
NorthWestern, which just put into place the final pieces of a yearlong rate case that increased rates slightly, currently charges homeowners about 10.05 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity. For the utility's average homeowner, that translates into an annual bill of about $970, or just over $80 a month.
In a survey by the Missoulian State Bureau of 13 other major utilities and electric cooperatives in the Pacific Northwest and neighboring states, NorthWestern charged the third-highest rate for residential electric customers using an average of 800 kwh per month. It has 330,000 customers in Montana.
Only Black Hills Power of Rapid City, S.D., and Portland (Ore.) General Electric charged higher rates, at 10.2 cents and 10.1 cents per kwh, respectively.
NorthWestern spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch said last week while NorthWestern's rates remain relatively high, they've been fairly stable, increasing only about 5 percent over the past four years.
That's not the case for some of NorthWestern's regional neighbors, who've seen greater increases during that period - and who are asking for additional rate increases this year.
"In fact, the gap has narrowed considerably," she said. "Every utility is dealing with the same issues that we are: power supply costs, integration of renewable power (like wind) and investing in infrastructure.
"Several of these utilities have been piling on double-digit rate increases, year after year, and several say they will be doing so for the foreseeable future."
Others, however, have remained relatively stable and lower than NorthWestern, and one - Flathead Electric Cooperative, a nonprofit utility that serves Kalispell and other parts of northwest Montana - has even been able to lower some of its rates since 2007.
Flathead Electric gets most of its power from the Bonneville Power Administration, a federal power agency.
Rapkoch also noted that while NorthWestern's electric rates are in the upper tier for the region, they, along with other utilities in the Northwest, remain among the lowest in the country.
Excluding the top three utilities mentioned above, rates for a household consuming an average of 800 kwh per month ranged from a low of 5.4 cents per kwh at Flathead Electric Co-op to a high of 8.95 cents, for Puget Sound Energy, a utility serving 1 million customers in western Washington.
Flathead Electric will be implementing an average annualized rate increase of 3.5% across all rate classes as a result of increased wholesale power costs. The majority of residential members will experience an increase of less than $3.50 per month. The increase will affect two aspects of your bill; the monthly Basic Charge that helps cover the Cooperative’s minimum fixed costs and the Energy Charge for the amount of energy consumed. The average residential member of Flathead Electric Cooperative using 1,000 kWh per month, will now pay $76.75 rather than $73.41 under the old rate. Bills issued after June 1, 2011 will reflect the new rates, which will include energy usage from May.
If you would like to budget your bill throughout the year to make this rate increase transition easier, please contact us about the “Levelized Billing” option. This option provides you with the ability to average your electricity payments based on your last 12 months of electricity usage. Adjustments will be made based on actual usage, but these variances are typically minimal.
Flathead Electric offers options to make your busy life easier. Try our E-Bill, Auto Pay, or Pay by Phone options. E-bill provides you with the option to pay by check, debit or credit card. Auto Pay automatically deducts the amount due from an account you designate.
Pay by Phone enables you to call us at 1-877-761-4637 to pay by check, debit or credit card. Save a stamp and sign up for one of these easy bill paying options today at Flathead Electric Cooperative.
Updated: Wednesday, January 18, 2012