Pacific Power begins installing smart meters for 590,000 Oregon customers

Pacific Power recently began installing 590,000 digital smart meters at the homes and businesses of its customers in Oregon.

The company will complete the upgrades region by region throughout 2018 into the fall of 2019. Installations began this week in Independence, a small town west of Salem.

“Installing smart meters is a key step toward the power grid of the future here in Oregon and our customers throughout the state all benefit,” Pacific Power President and CEO Stefan Bird said. “By vastly improving our meter technology, we can deliver power more reliably and shorten outages, save costs, and allow for better management of renewable sources.”

The smart meters will enable Pacific Power to provide customers with access to daily energy usage information via a secure website, starting approximately six weeks after a new meter is installed.

The meter will also track outages to enable faster response and help to integrate renewable resources into the grid.

“We are connecting our small communities throughout Oregon in a way that improves the reliability and efficiency of the grid, both at home and at work,” Bird said. “With smart meter technology now mature, proven and available at competitive prices, we can deliver the benefits without any additional cost to customers.”