MLGW just announced they're starting AMI deployment this summer after years of delays. Memphis has been one of the last major cities still using mechanical meters - we've got Sangamo and GE meters from the 1970s still in service. I've been auditing MLGW accounts for 20+ years and seen every possible mechanical meter failure. What should I be watching for as they transition to smart meters? Looking for advice from folks who've been through AMI rollouts with their local utilities.
MLGW finally moving to smart meters - lessons learned from other utilities?
Georgia Power's rollout taught us that billing system integration is the biggest risk. The smart meters themselves work fine but utilities often underestimate the software changes needed. Watch for demand charge calculation errors, especially during the first 6 months. Time-of-use rate schedules are particularly vulnerable - make sure peak/off-peak periods are being applied correctly. We caught multiple billing errors during Georgia Power's transition that cost customers thousands.
Idaho Power finished their AMI deployment last year. Biggest issue was meter reading timing - smart meters typically read usage daily or even hourly, while mechanical meters were read monthly. This creates billing period alignment problems during the transition. Some customers got partial month bills, others got double-billed for overlapping periods. Make sure MLGW has clear procedures for handling the transition period and prorating charges correctly.
PNM's smart meter rollout in Albuquerque revealed problems with load profile data. The new AMI systems generate 15-minute interval data that shows consumption patterns the old mechanical meters never captured. We discovered several large commercial customers had power quality issues causing phantom load during overnight hours. The old meters averaged everything out monthly so the problems were hidden. Smart meters expose inefficiencies but also create new audit opportunities.
MDU's AMI implementation in North Dakota went smoothly because they did extensive customer communication beforehand. Biggest complaint was customers losing their old meter reading routine - people were used to checking their mechanical meters monthly and estimating usage. Smart meters eliminate that visibility unless customers log into the web portal. MLGW should provide good online tools and mobile apps so customers can still monitor their usage patterns.
PPL's experience in Pennsylvania: watch for estimated billing during the transition. When smart meters have communication issues, utilities often revert to estimated bills based on historical usage. Problem is the estimates are based on old mechanical meter readings that might have been inaccurate. We had customers getting estimated bills that were 30-40% higher than actual usage because the old meter was reading low and the estimates assumed "normal" consumption.
AEP Texas learned the hard way about seasonal adjustment factors. Their billing system was programmed with seasonal multipliers based on historical mechanical meter data. When smart meters started providing accurate readings, the seasonal adjustments became double-counting. Summer bills were inflated because the system applied both actual higher usage AND a summer adjustment factor. MLGW needs to review all their billing logic and remove adjustments that compensate for mechanical meter inaccuracies.
ComEd's Chicago rollout had issues with net metering customers who had solar panels. The old mechanical meters would literally spin backwards when solar production exceeded usage, giving customers credit. Smart meters handle net metering differently - they measure production and consumption separately. Some solar customers saw their bills increase dramatically because the smart meters eliminated the "spinning backwards" benefit they were getting from inaccurate mechanical meters.
Xcel Energy in South Dakota had problems with commercial customers on demand-based rates. Smart meters provide much more precise demand measurements - they can capture 15-minute peaks that mechanical meters might have averaged out. Some customers saw their demand charges increase significantly not because usage changed, but because the smart meters were more accurate at capturing short-duration peaks. This is actually correct billing but customers weren't expecting it.
PG&E's experience in California: smart meters enabled time-of-use rates that weren't practical with mechanical meters. The detailed interval data allows utilities to offer complex rate structures with multiple peak periods, seasonal variations, and real-time pricing. This creates opportunities for customer savings but also makes bill auditing much more complex. You'll need new tools and expertise to validate time-of-use calculations with 15-minute interval data.
TVA territory in Tennessee has been slow to adopt AMI but other utilities' experiences show the importance of meter data validation. Smart meters generate massive amounts of data but utilities don't always validate it properly. We've seen cases where meters report obviously impossible readings - negative usage, demand peaks during facility shutdowns, consumption spikes that violate physics. MLGW needs robust data validation rules to catch bad readings before they hit customer bills.
Duke Energy's rollout in North Carolina taught us about temperature compensation. Some smart meters have built-in temperature compensation that adjusts readings based on ambient conditions. This is more accurate than mechanical meters but can cause confusion during extreme weather. We had customers questioning why their usage was higher during heat waves even though their cooling systems weren't running more. The temperature compensation was revealing inefficiencies that mechanical meters couldn't detect.
Entergy Mississippi's AMI deployment revealed the importance of backup power for smart meters. During Hurricane Ida, many smart meters lost communication when cell towers went down. The meters continued measuring usage but couldn't transmit data to the utility. When communication was restored weeks later, customers got massive "catch-up" bills with 30+ days of usage. MLGW should have clear policies for handling communication outages and spreading large catch-up bills over multiple months.
One final recommendation from PNM's experience: establish baseline accuracy documentation before the mechanical meters are removed. We photographed final readings, documented any known accuracy issues, and tested questionable meters independently. This created a clear record of pre-AMI billing accuracy and helped separate old problems from new smart meter issues. It's much harder to untangle billing disputes after the old meters are gone and there's no reference point for comparison.