In 2008, Vera conducted a meter change from mechanical meters to digital. The advantage of the new digital metering unit is that it eliminates all moving parts and associated issues that can arise with mechanical meters, and its accuracy and reliability have been exceptional.
In this meter upgrade happening November 2, we are replacing your existing meter with a meter that is almost identical to the 1 installed in 2008.
An opt-out program for the original initial installation of digital meters occurred in 2008, and only one customer out of more than 10,000 exercised that option. That customer is currently paying the manual reading and data entry fee of just over $50 per month.
If you are uncomfortable with the meter change out, please contact us by email.
The new meter Vera is installing does not present health or privacy issues.
The meter we are scheduled to install has a sending unit that talks to our data collector utilizing a simple modem to connect to the substation over our power lines. The meters we are installing are not the “smart meters” seen on the news using radio or cellphones to send data, which have been questioned for their safety due to radio waves.
The questions of privacy surrounding smart meters have revolved around the amount of data that is collected and what is done with that data. The meter we are installing uses an ultra-low frequency to communicate with the substation, which takes the data packet 13 to 27 hours to send. This limits the amount of data that we collect to just the meter reading for demand and energy. This slow-sending method limits the data that we collect to no more than 2 meter readings per day.
Our data is stored in a secure server location. It is never shared with any commercial operation. The only outside entity that views the data is the Washington State Auditor’s office when they audit our system for security and accuracy.
Sooner Meter will make three attempts to reach your meter to change it. If the third attempt is unsuccessful, it will then be Vera’s responsibility to change your meter. We will schedule an appointment with you to change the meter, which may occur sometime between January and March.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide an accurate, specific schedule of where and when the meters will be changed because we are using a 3rd party company, Sooner Meter. Since this project is being contracted out, we do not have specific control over the timing of when meters are changed — it is up to the contractor.
However, we will provide a map tracking Sooner Meter’s progress, which can be seen on the Electric Meter Upgrade project page. Please note that if the progress map suggests Sooner Meter is in or around your neighborhood, it does not guarantee that your meter will be changed out within a short timeframe.
It is important that we keep a clear area of 9′ in front of and 3′ above the electrical transformer in your yard, primarily to allow Vera Water and Power’s crews the ability to work safely in and around the transformer.
It is acceptable to plant ground cover plants that do not grow more than a few inches in height or to preferably plant grass.
Planting Under Power Lines
Avoid planting trees under power lines. Once a tree reaches around 18′ in height, we will be forced to cut it down or trim it for safety reasons. Use flowers and shrubs under these lines.
The utility is responsible for repairs and service up to the point of connection with the customer, including the meter.
Customers using computers or other non-interruptible equipment should upgrade their meter sockets to provide manual circuit closing to prevent accidental outages during routine meter maintenance.
Customers should also protect the equipment, which might be damaged by single-phasing 3-phase loads.
No purchaser of water shall connect their service with that of any other person; nor shall they in any way resell or supply any other person or premises with water through their service. The exception may be in the case of an emergency with district approval.
No purchasers of electric energy shall connect their service with that of any other person; nor shall they in any way re-sell, re-bill or supply any other person or premises with electric current through their service.
There are several reasons your bill could be higher than usual. December and August are typically the months with the highest bills because of the extreme weather.
Those are the months when furnaces and air conditioning are most heavily used. This increases energy use substantially, and that can come as a surprise since the bill arrives after the energy has been used.
If you are a water customer, excess water is only billed once a year. The excess water charge shows up on your fall or winter bill usually in October or November. This can make your bill higher than usual.
Another thing that can affect your total bill includes the number of days between the times your meter is read. Our goal is to read the meter every 30 days, but this can vary depending on weekends and holidays. If the number of days is longer than usual, your bill could reflect this.
If you have questions about your bill, please contact us.
