In January, NV Energy started installing new smart meters across northern Nevada. It's a digital electric meter that stores energy usage data every 15 minutes.
150,000 homes already have them and the project is only half way over in northern Nevada.
The Project Manager for Deployment of Smart Meters said these meters are the wave of the future for many reasons.
"These meters are effective, gives information to the consumers, as well as it gives additional information to the utility. It gives information, like whether the utility can respond quickly to an outage. We have information on what different feeders utilize in energy, so we can effectively plan."
Ricci says smart meters provide data for an energy speedometer. She said it gives you the opportunity to look at your energy usage online and come up with ways to save.
NV Energy was actually awarded a $138 million smart grid investment grant by the U.S. Department of Energy to install them.
There will be no change to your bill, according to Ricci. She said if anything, smart meters will save you money in the long run.
"There's a savings because the utility does not have to have a meter reader that comes around to read your meter. We are able to do it all more effectively with technology.
If you want to learn more about smart meters, a workshop is being held Wednesday at 12pm at the downtown Reno library on South Center Street.
Written by Chris Ciarlo
