NYSEG Nearing Completion of Smart Meter Installations in Ithaca Division

More than 87% of customers in the Ithaca division have received successful smart meter upgrades


Smart meters generate monthly bills based on actual customer usage reducing estimates


 

ITHACA, NY – November 28, 2023 – New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) today announced more than 74,000 customers in the Ithaca division have been successfully upgraded to smart meters, which will provide more convenience, control, and expanded choice in understanding and managing their energy use.

NYSEG and Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) are subsidiaries of Avangrid, which has committed to installing more than 1.3 million electric smart meters and adding 600,000 natural gas modules for customers statewide. The Ithaca division is the first of 17 NYSEG and RG&E divisions to receive smart meters and includes customers in Tompkins, Tioga, Schuyler, Seneca, Cortland and Cayuga counties. Natural gas-only customers in Cortland County, which are also part of the Ithaca division, will be upgraded at a later date.

“We are passionate and persistent in providing the best service possible for our customers and smart meters are a game changer,” said Patricia Nilsen, president and CEO of NYSEG and RG&E. “I’m proud and grateful for the tireless work of our field crews and contractors working diligently to get this important infrastructure investment to the finish line, and for the cooperation of our customers as we came door-to-door to make the installations.”

Smart meters are electric or natural gas meter modules with two-way wireless communications between the meter and the Company’s systems. They securely transmit usage and meter status data to NYSEG automatically, enabling monthly bills to be based on actual use versus manual meter reading or estimates, allowing customers better control over their energy bills. Additional benefits include fewer onsite visits, faster outage response, and ease in starting and stopping electric service when moving.

As field crews near completion of smart meter upgrades in the Ithaca division, there are still customers the Company has not been able to reach to upgrade their meter. When a technician cannot complete the smart meter upgrade, they will leave a door hanger behind. Contact information is included so customers can schedule a more convenient appointment time. If the Company is unable to gain access to install the new meter after a field visit, multiple phone calls, and mailings, residential customers will automatically be enrolled in the opt-out program, which has a monthly fee of $13.47. This fee covers the cost of continued manual meter reading and billing processes.

For additional information on smart meters please click here.

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