Press Release

03.04.10

Oncor Implements Smart Meter Verification Plan
Dallas -

The Public Utility Commission of Texas, responding to the concerns raised by Texas State Senator Troy Fraser, other elected officials and consumers, agreed to oversee Oncor’s proposed Smart Meter Verification Plan to confirm the accuracy of recently installed smart meters.

“We’re enthusiastically supporting the testing program so that we can eliminate any seeds of doubt about the accuracy of these meters in consumers’ minds. Once we get these concerns behind us, all of us can get focused on the real cause of the high bills and help consumers address that,” said Oncor Chairman and CEO Bob Shapard. “With all of the tests and data, we firmly believe the meters are accurate.  But it’s even more important that everyone have the same level of confidence that we do.  That’s why we submitted our plan.”

The commitments made by Oncor in the Smart Meter Verification Plan presented to the PUC today include the following:
• Independent testing program of our smart meters, including a random statistical sample in the Killeen-Temple area;
• Independent review of all smart meter-related systems and processes;
• Small number of in-home monitors provided to customers in a targeted pilot program so customers can track real-time when their electricity is being used
• Review of all customer records showing the last usage recorded from the traditional meter. If any errors are found, Oncor will contact the customer and the Retail Electric Provider serving that customer;
• Side-by-side meter tests for a select number of volunteers, with weekly reports to the PUC, elected officials and media; and
• A series of customer education opportunities with the company Mobile Experience Center, accompanied by a team of customer care specialists.

Shapard noted that the principle complaint among consumers is that their bills are considerably higher this year compared to last year. Already, Oncor has looked into thousands of consumer questions about this subject, as well as conducted thousands of onsite smart meter tests, and from those examinations it appears that the high usage was driven almost exclusively by the cold weather and inefficient electric heating sources.  In fact, roughly 75 percent of the customers calling to request meter tests are customers who have traditional meters — showing that customers throughout the service area are experiencing higher than expected winter bills, regardless of meter type.

To help customers who have higher usage, and therefore higher bills, Oncor wants to help.  Oncor representatives are available to analyze a customer’s historical usage to determine if there may be a problem.

Through Oncor’s work with customers, the company was able to identify common culprits of the high bills, which include:

• Inefficient heaters.  Electric space heaters are huge energy hogs that can cost more than $2 each per day to run. 
• Electric resistance heat. This is the most inefficient and most costly of all heating choices.  For the average-sized home, this can cost up to $25 per day to run.  Assuming it runs only half the hours of a day, that adds up to more than $750 per month.
• Insufficient weather stripping and insulation.  Homes with inadequate insulation or weather stripping allow large amounts of cold air inside the home, causing the heating unit to run more.  Extreme weather – hot or cold – magnifies this problem. Depending on the size of the home and the temperature set on the thermostat, energy costs could add up quickly.
• Lack of comparison-shopping.  Many customers who have been meeting with Oncor employees to review their bills have not looked at changing their retail products or providers as a way to lower their bills. The PUC’s website, www.powertochoose.org, has a list of all offers from retailers to assist customers find the best deal for them. Some homeowners may also qualify for financial assistance from a number of agencies across the state.

Even more help is coming.  Beginning in about two weeks, customers with smart meters will be able to access a web site to see their usage in 15-minute intervals, which will help them identify when they use the most electricity and to predict what their bills will be.  This data will provide consumers with a much better understanding of how much energy they are consuming, which will allow them to make changes, appropriately budget, or both.

Oncor’s letter to the PUC, available on the company’s website (www.oncor.com in the news/press release page), details the program the company is currently implementing.

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Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC (“Oncor”) is a regulated electricity distribution and transmission business that uses superior asset management skills to provide reliable electricity delivery to consumers. Oncor operates the largest distribution and transmission system in Texas, delivering power to more than 3 million homes and businesses and operating approximately 117,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines in Texas. While Oncor is owned by a limited number of investors (including majority owner, Energy Future Holdings Corp.), Oncor is managed by its Board of Directors, which is comprised of a majority of independent directors.

Media
Chris Schein
972-791-6200

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