FAQs

A smart meter is a digital electric meter that collects electricity usage information and sends that data to the local utility through a secure telecommunications connection.

Pennsylvania Act 129 mandates that customers pay for the development and deployment of smart meter technology throughout our Pennsylvania service area. The cost of the smart meter program is not an individual charge. For West Penn Power residential customers, it is part of the Distribution Charge. For all other customers, the cost of the smart meter program is part of the Customer Charge, which includes a number of the company’s costs to do business, such as billing, equipment and maintenance.

The company is required by Pennsylvania law to install a smart meter for all of our Pennsylvania customers. For more information about the law that mandates our smart meter program, you can visit the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s website. Simply go to www.puc.state.pa.us and search for Smart Meter.

Starting in 2013, the companies began providing smart meters in new construction and to all residential, commercial and industrial customers who request them. Beginning in 2014, the companies began installing smart meters to Penn Power customers. Installation for West Penn Power, Penelec and Met-Ed customers begain in 2016. 

Approximately one month before your meter is exchanged, you will receive a brochure in the mail to provide you with information about the meter and the installation process. A few weeks prior to the actual installation date, you will receive a letter that will give you the time period when we will be in your area to exchange your meter. On the day of the installation, an installer will come to your door to let you know they are installing your meter. If no one is home, we will leave a door hanger either indicating that the meter has been changed or asking you to contact us to schedule an appointment to change your meter.

Most smart meter installations will be performed without an appointment. Every effort is made to notify you in advance of your meter installation. In addition to mailings, the installer will come to your door before beginning work. Appointments for special needs will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Smart meters are digital, so they will display numbers instead of dials. In addition, our smart meters have a blue stripe across the face.

For homes, there will be a brief interruption in your electric service when the meter is being installed, so you may need to reset some of your electronic equipment. For businesses, your power might be interrupted during the installation. The meter installer will be able to determine if an interruption will occur when the work is being done.

The meters will be installed by company personnel or by our installation vendor, Wellington Energy Inc. Please be aware that all of our installers will be carrying proper identification. If the installer cannot show you an identification card, or if you have a concern about that person’s identity, please call 1-888-895-1044.

Yes. FirstEnergy places the utmost importance on the security and protection of all aspects of our electric system and associated sub systems. Our communication network is a high security environment that uses multiple layers of protection from unwanted access – including the use of passwords, firewalls, data encryption, continuous monitoring and other security controls. We follow the cybersecurity guidelines published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In addition, Pennsylvania regulations restrict access to customer information, and do not permit an electric company or electric supplier to release private customer information to a third party without customer consent.

Smart meters measure how much energy is used based on time of day – not how that energy is used. A smart meter cannot tell which specific electric equipment is using the energy. The company’s smart meter solution is based on industry best practices, and built on a secured network designed to protect customer data. Just like traditional analog meters, digital smart meters collect how much electricity you use. The main difference is that smart meters collect that information more times throughout the day. For example, the smart meters we are using send the company a snapshot of customers’ energy usage a few times a day.

Yes. Sometime after your meter is installed and the utility starts gathering your usage in intervals, you will be able to access that information using our online Home Energy Analyzer tool.

No. The company will not limit the amount of power you can use. As a benefit to you, in the future the smart meter will allow you to monitor your own electric use using our online Home Energy Analyzer tool.

Smart meters use state-of-the-art technologies that ensure accurate readings while providing customers with information they need to better manage their electricity use. Like the meters of today, we test each smart meter according to stringent American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards to ensure they are accurate.

Yes. Since we will be able to read smart meters remotely, we will have easier access to the meter information.  Please note that this functionality will be implemented over time, so meter readers will continue to manually read the smart meter for some time after the meter is installed.

Data collected from a meter and transmitted wirelessly contains specific, unique identifiers associated with the customer’s meter number and service address. These fields are validated numerous times to ensure accuracy before the data is used for billing.

While smart meters emit a low level of radio frequency (RF), RF exposure from smart meters is a fraction of the level that comes from other commonly used household devices, such as cell phones, garage door openers, televisions, baby monitors, microwaves and wireless internet. Also, advanced metering systems only transmit data for a few seconds per hour, and at average levels far below the safety standards specified by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC).

Although the smart meter has been installed, the functionality of the meter will be implemented over time – meaning, you may continue to see employees accessing the meter to take readings. In addition, even with a smart meter, there may still be situations where the company needs to access the meter for maintenance or to read the meter.

Yes, for the time being. If your power goes out, please call 1-888-LIGHTSS (888-544-4877) to report it so we can identify the problem and respond promptly. However, in the future, we expect that the smart meter technology will help us detect power outages and restore power more efficiently.

Although the system will provide the company the ability to disconnect a meter remotely for non-payment situations, a company representative will still visit the premises in person at disconnection, in compliance with the current Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission rules.

This will no longer appear on your meter, but is available online. Please visit firstenergycorp.com and log into your account for more information. Select the Analyze Usage link to view your demand data and run detailed reports to analyze your usage.

More information about our smart meter program is available on our website at firstenergycorp.com/PAsmartmeter.