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About advanced metering

The power meter at your home or business records and stores the number of kilowatt-hours of electricity you use. Advanced meters encrypt this usage data and transmit the information directly to us, which means we get a daily power meter reading in just seconds. 

With the advanced metering system we don't need to access your property to read your power meter anymore, but meter readers may still need to access your home to read your water meter and for occasional maintenance and safety inspections.


 

​What advanced metering means for you

Our city continues to grow at a rapid rate and we need to manage our electricity infrastructure to keep up. A modernized metering system will help us reduce operating costs, increase the reliability of the electricity services we provide, and enable us to serve you more effectively in the coming years.

Benefits of advanced metering include:  

  1. Bills that reflect actual consumption.
    Nearly all estimated meter reads will be eliminated.
  2. More accurate information.
    For you when you're moving in or out of your home or business.
  3. Remote hook ups and disconnections.
    For residential customers.
  4. Timely information in the event of a power outage.
    Currently, you let us know when the power goes out. Upgrading to an Advanced Metering System is a key step in allowing us to determine the specific outage area and dispatch a crew faster to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.
  5. Assistance detecting meter tampering and electricity theft.
    A cost saving for all customers.

answers to your Frequently asked questions

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Will There Be Any Changes to My Bill? How Do I Know If the Advanced Meter is Accurate? When Will an Advanced Meter Be Installed at My Home or Business? How Will the Information Provided by the Advanced Meter be Used?

About advanced meters

Will There Be Any Changes to My Bill?

With an advanced meter installed at your home or business, your power bill will be based on actual reads instead of a combination of actual and estimated data.

How Do I Know If the Advanced Meter is Accurate?

​The advanced meters we have selected comply with all of the electricity measurement guidelines put forward by Measurement Canada.

Measurement Canada is responsible for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of measurement in the Canadian marketplace. They develop and administer the laws and requirements governing measurement; evaluate, approve and certify measuring devices; and investigate complaints of suspected inaccurate measurement.

Read more about Measurement Canada's guidelines and testing programs.

When Will an Advanced Meter Be Installed at My Home or Business?

We have completed all power meter installations in Edmonton with the exception of a few customers that we are working with on electrical repairs.

How Will the Information Provided by the Advanced Meter be Used?

​There's no change to how your electricity information is used; the timely and accurate data for your bill is simply improved. Other information we'll be collecting will aid in providing safe, reliable electricity. This can include power outage/restoration information, voltage, tampering indicators, etc.

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How do I know if there are problems with my meter socket or wiring? How will the advanced metering project prevent electricity theft and meter tampering?

Safety

How do I know if there are problems with my meter socket or wiring?

​We complete visual inspections throughout the City of Edmonton on an ongoing basis. During the advanced meter installation process, another visual inspection of the electrical equipment at your property will be conducted.

If there's a safety concern with your meter socket or wiring, you'll receive a letter from us notifying you of the repairs needed. Follow the instructions on the letter and we'll help you get your electrical facilities up and running safely again.

When this system is teamed with our grid management system, we will be notified automatically if your power goes out. That means we receive more accurate information about where an outage is and we can send our crews out faster to restore power to the affected area(s) as quickly and safely as possible.

How will the advanced metering project prevent electricity theft and meter tampering?

​Advanced meters notify us if it has been tampered with in any way. This is done remotely over the same network the meter reads are sent over.

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Do Advanced Meters Store Personal Information That Someone Could Access?

Privacy

Do Advanced Meters Store Personal Information That Someone Could Access?

​We take your privacy very seriously. At no point is identifiable customer information (i.e. name, address, account number, etc.) stored within the meter — only your electricity consumption and a unique code that identifies the transmitter is stored. To provide further security, this data is encrypted before it's transmitted to us. It's the same encryption technology that many Canadian financial institutions use.

And don't worry. The only information contained within the meter is the unique transmitter code and electricity usage for that meter.  

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Can I keep my existing meter? Do You Have The Authority To Change My Meter?

Keeping existing meters

Can I keep my existing meter?

We currently install advanced meters as its standard power meter within the City of Edmonton. If you choose not to have a standard meter installed at your location, a non-standard meter that doesn't have the capability to remotely communicate with us may be installed for eligible customers.

Read more about the opt-out program and customer eligibility.

Do You Have The Authority To Change My Meter?

​The authority to exchange the EPCOR electricity meter is granted under the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act (Section 40) and Electricity and Gas Inspection Regulations. For more information please see the EPCOR Distribution Connection Service Terms and Conditions and Measurement Canada.

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