Submitted photo National Grid regional director Ken Kujawa displays a smart meter like the ones that the company will install for its Dunkirk-area customers, beginning on Dec. 1. To date, the company has installed more than 900,000 smart meters across Upstate New York.

On Dec. 1, National Grid will begin installing new smart meters for its 6,600 Dunkirk-area customers, providing homeowners and business owners new ways to monitor their energy use and spending.

The Dunkirk installations are part of the company’s plan to replace meters across Upstate New York that are nearing their end of lifespan, with modern smart meters. Customers who use smart meters can benefit from real-time information and make better informed decisions about managing energy consumption and increasing energy efficiency.

To date, National Grid has successfully installed more than 900,000 smart meters for customers in Central and Eastern New York. Earlier this year, the company continued its Upstate New York smart meter deployment when it began a two-year process to install them in Western New York.

“Customers can choose the extent to which they use the real-time information provided by their smart meters to better manage their energy use, and potentially lower their bills,” said National Grid Regional Director Ken Kujawa. “Smart meters also can instantly notify National Grid when there’s a service interruption at a home; they are the foundation for modernizing the grid and keeping pace with evolving customer demands.”

After National Grid’s Dunkirk-area customers receive their smart meters, the company will continue its deployment in other parts of Western New York through 2027.

Smart meters offer customers continuous access to data about their energy use, so they can make informed choices. Benefits include:

— More ways to monitor and take control of energy usage and spending.

— Improved service and reliability.

— Access to up-to-date energy use data within minutes, through the My Account portal. Customers can register at ngrid.com/myaccount.

— Faster response: Smart meters will increase National Grid’s ability to monitor and respond to power outages.

Currently, National Grid customers have their meters read monthly by radio frequencies transmitted to trucks that drive past the properties where they live or work. These meters are approaching the end of their lifespan, which offers National Grid an opportunity to implement new technologies that improve customer control, and provide real-time outage data.

According to industry data, 80% of meters deployed across North America have smart technology capabilities. The smart meters that National Grid is installing are compliant with Federal Communications Commission regulations and emit less radio frequency than mobile phones, laptops, baby monitors or other devices. The meters will communicate wirelessly with National Grid’s control centers through a secure network. This encrypted data will help National Grid pinpoint locations of outages and whether the issue occurred on customer-owned equipment or on the company’s network.

Dunkirk-area customers should have received information from National Grid to let them know when their meter is expected to be installed. Up until the installation date, National Grid will be in contact with customers via email, phone and postal mail.

Customers do not need to be on site to meet installation crews if their meter is located outside of the home or business. Customers will have the ability to reschedule if their appointed date and time is inconvenient for them. Elderly, blind and disabled customers and customers with approved life-support devices will have the ability to set appointments for their meter installation.

Installation of the meters will be completed by a combination of National Grid crews and contractors from Utility Partners of America, an industry leader in smart meter installation. Installers will be easily recognizable as employees of National Grid or UPA, who will wear photo identification that includes their name, company name and logo, with many traveling in branded vehicles.

Smart meter installation for electric customers requires a short power outage that should last only a few minutes to safely remove the old meter and install the new one.

To learn more about National Grid’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure program, visit https://nationalgridus.com/Smart-Meter