Technology
SmartMeters MLGW’s Latest Consumer Protection by ELIZA KING | photography by LILLIAN JOHNSON
Recently, there’s been a lot of talk about smart meters. Do they benefit the community or are they just another “cha-ching” for the utility company? Do they really help communities use power more efficiently, conserving energy and thus reducing costs? Are smart meters hazardous to human health, emitting dangerous high frequency radio waves that can cause illness and disease?
Close-up shot of an electric smart meter. A smart meter measures how much energy your household uses. The meters have built-in two-way communication with MLGW. Once the information is received, MLGW can help customers manage their utility bills better. It also lets the utility company know when people are tampering with meters or if a household is experiencing high consumption which may mean an unreported water leak.
U
nfortunately, these questions take flight and become a source of conflicting and confusing information leaving consumers confused about whether to embrace smart meters or protest their installation. But, before you run out to buy paint for your protest sign, here are some facts, myths and reality for your review.
About 40 percent of the homes in the U.S. have smart meters now. Only five percent of Memphians do. Over the next five years, Memphis Light, Gas and Water hopes to join millions of current users when it buys 1.1 million smart meters.
Southern Soul l July 2015
| 51