SmartMeter™

Your Meter is About to Get an Upgrade

PG&E and Wellington Energy, an authorized contractor for PG&E, began changing customer meters in Bakersfield in the fall of 2006. SmartMeter program deployment will spread across the PG&E service area over the next several years. Our goal is to provide all the millions of PG&E customers with a SmartMeter gas and/or electric meter(s) by the end of 2011. Please refer to our current deployment schedule. Note that this schedule is subject to change. We periodically update the schedule to optimize deployment activities as field circumstances require.

PG&E is dedicated to providing you with the best service possible. We're always looking for new and innovative ways to make your daily interactions with us faster, easier and more convenient.
That's why we're introducing the PG&E SmartMeter program. The SmartMeter program provides our customers with an automated gas and electric metering system that will improve the way we access your meter readings. It will allow us to collect meter data without setting foot on your property and interrupting your schedule. Once the SmartMeter system is up and running in your area, we will collect energy usage data much more frequently – hourly for residential electric and daily for gas.

In the future, we will be able to pinpoint power outages and restore your power more quickly. And you will also be able to access this detailed usage data online, as well as take advantage of new rate options to better manage your energy consumption and control your energy bills.

We’re on our way.

In the fall of 2006, PG&E and Wellington Energy, an authorized, independent contractor for PG&E, began upgrading gas and electric meters in the Bakersfield area. By the end of 2011, the SmartMeter program will be available to all of the millions of gas and electric customers we serve.

You will continue to receive the same dependable service you receive today. Initially, your meter may continue to be read manually. Automated meter reading and other benefits of the SmartMeter program will be available over time as the system is put into place.

How Installation Works.

PG&E or Wellington Energy installers will knock on your door before installation. Installation of the equipment is simple and quick. Residential customers will experience a brief (approximately five-minute) interruption to electric service, and no interruption to gas service. If you are not home, installers will leave a notice on your door. You do not need to be present for the upgrade, but we will need unobstructed access to your meter(s).

PG&E and Wellington Energy, an authorized contractor for PG&E, are currently changing customer meters in the Bakersfield and Sacramento areas as part of the PG&E SmartMeter program.

Future PG&E SmartMeter™ program customer benefits:

Fewer interruptions. We'll collect meter data without setting foot on your property and interrupting your schedule.
Faster power restoration. We'll be able to pinpoint power outages and restore your power faster.
Faster problem resolution. We'll be able to resolve service problems more easily and, in many cases, without having a service person visit your home or business.
Better billing. Because we no longer have to depend on in-person meter readings, we'll no longer have to estimate your bill when we can't access your meter.
Energy usage data. In the future, you'll be able to monitor your own energy usage via the Internet and see when you're using the most energy.
New rate options. As a result of the SmartMeter program, we'll also be able to offer you more rate choices designed to meet your needs. When these become available, you will be able to better manage your energy consumption and control your energy bills.

The SmartMeter™ program: Making the future of energy smarter.

The benefits of the SmartMeter program will grow over time. Enhanced customer service and greater convenience are just a start. In the future, you can expect to see:

Energy usage data that you can use to better understand and manage your energy consumption
New rate options that give you more control over your energy bill

The SmartMeter program begins with a simple meter change today. Tomorrow and beyond, it will enable a range of new service offerings – some that we can anticipate, and others that we have yet to discover. The SmartMeter program puts in place a platform for innovation in our relationship with you, our customers. PG&E is committed to enhancing the service we provide you. With the SmartMeter program, the future is wide open.

For more information on the SmartMeter™ program, please call 1-866-743-0263.