The California Public Utility Commission has approved Southern California Gas Co.'s proposal to install new wireless meters that don't require a meter reader to enter a customer's property, according to Marketwatch.com.
The new meters record and send information digitally giving consumers and gas technicians instant access to energy usage. Instead of recording how much gas is used per month, the devices record by the hour. The data is sent via radio back to SoCalGas and made available to customers the next day, according to SoCalGas' website.
The CPUC approved $1.05 billion for the project from 2010 through 2017, according to Marketwatch.com. Funding for the new meters will be offset by operational savings and energy conservation. SoCalGas plans to upgrade all gas meters with the new technology over a seven year period starting in 2010.
SoCalGas says the meters will help consumers better manage their energy usage. They also allow for more privacy since meter readers no longer have to enter a customer's property.
