Advanced Meter FAQ

Why did TPU upgrade to advanced meters?

Advanced meters support a variety of benefits that allow you more flexibility, the ability to control your water and power costs, and help us operate more efficiently. Many of the power and water meters in our system today used technology that hadn’t changed much over the last 75 years. Old technology limits the services available.  Most of our meters had reached the end of their lifespan and need to be updated to provide you with reliable service. Advanced meter technology also fulfills requests we have received from you and your neighbors for additional features, including monthly billing and access to usage data.

What are advanced meters and how do they work?

Advanced meters are two-way communication devices that measure and transmit electric and water usage data to provide us with accurate billing determinants and detailed system information.  This data is also used during a storm event  or other system disruption, to restore service more quickly and reduce the length of outages and system emergencies.

Advanced meters measure usage information at homes and businesses. The usage information is sent between the meter and the utility over a wireless network.  This means that:

• Advanced meters collect the same water and energy usage data your existing meter provides, just more often than possible via the current bi-monthly manual reads.
• Residential usage information is typically sent to us about 24 times per day using radio frequency transmission. This is like the wireless communications used by cell phones and WiFi.

What are the benefits of advanced meters?

The installation of advanced meters will offer many customer benefits. Some of the benefits available from this technology include monthly billing, selectable bill due date, faster outage and leak detection, prepayment options for power, remote turn-on and turn-off of electricity for easier move in, move out, and reconnection, and detailed, near real-time usage information through a customer web portal. Click here to view and download a comprehensive summary of Advanced Meter customer benefits and capabilities.

Have other utilities installed advanced meters?

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2021, U.S. electric utilities had about 111 million advanced (smart) metering infrastructure (AMI) installations, equal to about 69% of total electric meter installations. Residential customers accounted for about 88% of total AMI installations, and about 69% of total residential electric meters were AMI meters. That number continues to grow as more utilities and their customers recognize the many benefits of investing in a mature technology. In the Pacific Northwest, several utilities including Puget Sound Energy, City of Seattle, and Lakeview Power and Light have or are currently installing advanced meters.

Will the advanced meters affect how I use energy and water?

Timely usage data can help you make more informed decisions and potentially lower your bills by using water and energy more efficiently. Other utilities have seen an increase in customer satisfaction as a result.

How are advanced meters related to other utility technology projects?

Advanced meters are a foundational modernization project and deliver key benefits right away. Modernization projects typically build on one another over time. Some customer benefits or data are enabled by advanced meters and delivered through related utility modernization projects, such as TPU’s Customer Engagement Portal.

What if I don’t want an advanced meter? (Opt-out)

We are committed to high quality customer service and have developed an Opt-Out Policy to provide you with options. 

Two opt-out options are available if you do not wish to participate in advanced metering for your residential electric meter. 

Opt-out options: 

1. To temporarily keep an existing legacy electric meter, you must opt-out before your meter has been upgraded to an advanced meter. 

1. If you do not want a communicating advanced meter after your meter has been upgraded, you have the option to opt-out and have your advanced meter’s radio frequency transmitter turned off. 

Opting out will require you to pay a monthly fee of $15. This fee is based on TPU’s cost to provide opt-out service and continue manual meter reading of your opt-out meter. 

TPU is not planning to offer an advanced metering opt-out option for residential water or commercial accounts. 

View Opt-Out Policy details here.
Apply to Opt-Out here. 

To request a paper opt-out application, please email TPUCSBillingOfficeTeam@cityoftacoma.org or call 253-502-8509. 

Are advanced meters safe?

Yes! The electric meters we are installing have three temperature sensors, a high current auto-open feature, and a remote disconnect that can shut the meter off from TPU in an emergency. These meters also have multiple sensing capabilities that send an alarm in the rare event that there is an abnormal condition with the meter. These meters are subject to rigorous, advanced testing. The electric meters come equipped with various alarms and safety features in the rare event of a malfunction.

Should I be concerned about radio frequency?

Advanced meters typically transmit data via radio frequency about 24 times per day. The advanced meters emit radio frequency only when they transmit data, which, in total, is typically less than 1 minute per day.

Significant scientific research has been conducted on radio frequency (RF) for over 50 years. A study by Washington State University determined the amount of energy absorbed from advanced meter radio frequency is substantially less than the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) safety guidelines, even when the body and meter are in close proximity.

According to a study conducted by the California Council on Science and Technology, “wireless smart meters result in much smaller levels of RF exposure than many existing common household electronic devices, particularly cell phones and microwave ovens.”

Learn more about advanced meters and radio frequency emissions by downloading this fact sheet.

How will you protect my privacy?

We take your privacy very seriously. No customer-identifying data – such as names and addresses – is stored in the meters or transmitted across the network.

Like the current meters, the advanced meters will simply collect how much energy and water is being used. The advanced meters encrypt energy and water use information to ensure privacy, and transmit it to TPU over a wireless network with multiple layers of security.

Per RCW 19.29A.0100, we may not sell private or proprietary customer information. Our privacy policy affirms our commitment to securing our customers’ personal information by implementing strong consumer data safeguards to prevent unauthorized disclosure.

Read our Privacy Policy here. 

Learn more about Advanced Meter security and privacy by downloading this fact sheet.

How will you use the data collected from my meter?

We must collect data from the meters to provide service. Like today, the data will be used for billing purposes, operational analysis and planning. TPU will not sell any customer data. If you choose, third-party providers may be allowed access under strict controls for purposes of providing enhanced services to you.

Download an Advanced Meter security and privacy fact sheet.

Are advanced meters financially beneficial?

Yes, by the end of the 20-year lifecycle for the new metering system, we expect this project to result in a positive financial benefit to the utility, ultimately benefitting customers.

We developed an extensive business case assessing the financial benefits, costs, and non-financial (soft) benefits over the next 20 years. This analysis was completed in 2016, 2019 and updated in 2020. The 2020 updated analysis shows a positive financial net present value of approximately $8 million.

The operational savings associated with advanced meters offset the overall cost, as it is more expensive to maintain aging meters and continue manual reads than to replace them with advanced meters.

How was the advanced meter project funded?

The advanced meter project was funded from existing utility funds and revenue generated from power and water rates.

What projects can utility revenue and funds be used for?

State law and the Tacoma City Charter provide that the use of utility revenue (and existing utility funds) is limited to utility purposes or projects. Examples of related uses include costs to provide safe, reliable services, maintain utility infrastructure, protect natural resources near our facilities, conservation projects, and invest in system improvements, such as upgrading meters.

Will advanced meters change the way you charge for service?

The only planned change is to move from a two-month billing cycle to a one-month billing cycle. Based on our research and customer survey data, customers greatly prefer monthly billing. We also plan to offer a prepayment option for electric service and a select your bill due date option. We look forward to offering these conveniences.

Advanced Meters will also allow TPU to explore new future rate options, including structures such as time of use (TOU) rates. Any future rate options will have extensive public comment opportunities and require review and approval by the Public Utility Board and City Council.