Cherries

Updated Metering

Get excited — your home is getting an upgrade! Cherryland Electric Cooperative is getting an upgraded metering system. The system-wide upgrade will begin in 2024 with an anticipated completion date in 2026.  


WHY ARE WE UPGRADING OUR METERS? 

The upgraded meters will provide Cherryland members with several benefits, including improved: 

Reliability

The upgraded meters have wireless, two-way connections.
That wireless connection will help Cherryland pinpoint outage locations more quickly, resulting in faster restoration and fewer outages.
The new system will also report changes in voltage or other issues that will help us identify potential issues before they occur.

Member Service

The upgraded meters will automatically report problems like outages, so members don’t have to.
Members will also enjoy more frequent updates to energy use data on SmartHub.
More frequent updates gives members the tools to better track their energy use habits and start saving money by making smart energy choices. 

 

Efficiency

Our older, current metering system is getting expensive to maintain.
Installing this new upgraded metering system comes with more modern and affordable technology.
The upgraded meters will also ensure that nearly all members can be remotely disconnected or reconnected in the event of an emergency or necessity.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

  • We will knock on your door to let you know we are on-site. Either a Cherryland employee or our authorized installer, QUES, will arrive between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday – Saturday. Installers will drive vehicles and carry badges that identify them as an authorized contractor of Cherryland Electric Cooperative. Unless an electric meter is inside, contractors will not need to enter your home. We ask members to keep animals inside and to remove anything such as lawn furniture or planters blocking the meter. Locked gates will also need to be unlocked for access.    
  • We will install your upgraded meter. This process may cause a brief service interruption lasting roughly 10 minutes. We will remove the old meter, install the new meter, restore service, and verify the new meter is working properly. 
  • We will leave a door hanger or appointment slip. The door hanger lets members know we’ve successfully installed the new meter. Members will receive an appointment slip if we were not able to install the meter. We ask that members please follow the instructions on the slip to schedule a meter upgrade. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Nope! The wireless communication uses RF (radio frequency) emitted by the meter. It’s is well below the standards set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In fact, the RF from enhanced meters is so low that you could stand directly in front of a meter for a full year and still have less RF exposure than you’d get from a single 15-minute cell phone call.

Pacemakers, electronic defibrillators and other medical devices will not be affected by the wireless communications.

There will be no additional costs to the member to install the new system. In fact, this metering upgrade will save members money in the long run as we shift away from replacing meters with more expensive, outdated technology.

Following the installation, members will receive a bill with two readings: one for the old meter and one for the new meter. While there are two readings, the rate charged stays the same. This will be a one-time occurrence.

Absolutely! The upgraded meters are tested and meet safety requirements and standards spelled out in the ANSI (American National Standards Institute). The test includes, but is not limited to: surge immunity, self-heating, voltage variation and accuracy measurements. Enhanced meters will even alert Cherryland when they detect something is wrong, like overheating, tampering and low voltage.

Safety is a top priority at Cherryland, and that includes cybersecurity! Cherryland provides a robust security system that protects all communication exchanges, end-to-end. The Sensus metering system encrypts information from end-to-end, communicating to Cherryland through a virtual private network, or VPN.