Your electric meter is a finely calibrated measuring device. It's covered with a protective plastic case for safety, and sealed for security.

The meter connects energized power lines to your home. Any unauthorized person who attempts to break the meter seal and remove the meter takes great risk in personal safety and also violates the law. If your meter requires service or disconnection for any reason, please call our office for assistance.

Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI)  

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Southwest Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative began operating a system wide Automated Meter Reading system in the spring of 2009. The new meters still display the meter reading, but in a digital LCD format. The meter receives and stores the kilowatt-hour (kWh) and demand consumption and is able to transmit this data back to the REC offices in Corning, Mt.Ayr and Stanton. The new meters can also help reduce costs associated with meter readings as well as provide assistance in finding outage problems. This will lead to making faster repairs and restoring power in a timely manner.

Advantages to You

  • Allows on-demand meter reads.

  • Stores load profile data.

  • Calculates kW demand, records peak kW, and stores in the meter.

  • Calculates voltages to an accuracy of +-1% and records min/max voltages.

  • Logs date, time and duration of power interruptions.

  • Simple plug-in installation requiring no field test equipment or programming.

  • Electronic LCD register.

  • Real-time clock with no need for a battery.

The AMI Solution  

AMI is a two-way system that allows near-real-time communication between our offices, meters and monitoring and controlling devices on the distribution system. This allows close monitoring of system operations and a wider variety of customer program offerings. The AMI system utilizes a RF mesh network which provides greater geographic coverage and data collection frequency flexibility. This system collects data from the meter, including the meter reading. The meter sends the data to a collector and then sends it through a cellular communications device to the computer server in our office, and then the data is available for use.

The value to us goes beyond a simple meter reading. The two-way AMI system adds value in the following business areas:

  • Electricity theft detection

  • "Blink" monitoring

  • Power quality investigations

  • Transformer loading assessments

  • Remote disconnect/reconnect

  • Energy management & demand response programs

  • Voltage monitoring

  • Distribution automation

  • Outage management & restoration

  • System planning & engineering

  • Enhanced member service transactions

  • Time-of-use (TOU) pricing & critical peak pricing (CPP) 

The AMI system provides for fully automated, frequent reading of all meters. It gives Southwest Iowa REC the ability to provide our members with detailed information about power consumption patterns, outage and blink history and voltage and demand.