​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Smart meters​​​​​​

We’ve installed more than 2.5 million smart meters, part of a $750 million investment CenterPoint Energy made to strengthen Houston’s electrical grid. Unlike traditional meters, smart meters measure each customer’s electricity consumption in 15-minute intervals, relaying the data remotely. Smart meters benefit customers and the environment.  

Smart meters benefit customers by helping to:

  • ​Save Houstonians $20-25 million each year in eliminated connection and other fees
  • Give consumers access to more frequent and detailed electric usage information
  • Provide customers with free automated outage notifications​

All consumer benefits

Benefits made possible because of smart meter technology:

  • Money-saving efficiency: Access your electric usage history to better manage energy costs. See how Houstonians are saving energy and money with smart meters.
  • More privacy: Remote meter reading reduces the number of on-site meter reads.
  • Faster, cheaper connection/disconnection: Remote capability means less cost for customers who move or switch retail electric providers. Consumers save $20-25 million per year in eliminated fees.
  • Free power outage notifications: Smart meters can automatically notify CenterPoint Energy about outages to help us restore power more quickly. Join nearly 1.4 million Houstonians who receive outage and restoration alerts by text, email or phone. To date, smart meters helped millions of customers receive power restoration without having to notify us of an outage. Enroll in CenterPoint Energy's Power Alert Service.
  • More options in electric services: Retail electric providers now offer new services such as pre-paid service (e.g. free nights and weekends), “time-of-use” rates and energy analysis tools.

Smart Meters help the environment by:

  • Empowering customers with data to make energy-saving choices
  • Saving 1.9 million gallons of fuel by enabling remote electricity services
  • Making it possible for retail electric providers to offer “time-of-use” rate structures, pre-paid service and other products and services

All environmental benefits​

Smart meter technology furthers these environmental benefits:

  • Monitoring energy use: Giving customers data to make energy-saving changes with ease.
  • Conserving energy via remote servicing: By remotely conducting 19 million connections, disconnections and other service orders, CenterPoint Energy has saved 1.9 million gallons of fuel and over 17 tons of CO2 emissions.
  • Reducing emissions: Smart meters allow retail electric providers to offer "time-of-use" rate structures, such as free nights and weekends, to reduce peak electric demand. Reduced emissions from decreased power generation can create better air quality in Houston.
  • Facilitating alternative energy: Smart meters help facilitate integration of distributed generation (wind and solar) and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs).
    • This can help reduce the need for new fossil-fuel generated capacity.
    • Smart meters measure surplus electricity generated and electricity received, eliminating the need to install expensive distributed-generation metering.

Smart meters are one of many ways CenterPoint Energy strengthens the grid. Learn more about electrical distribution: How electricity gets to you.

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