AMERENUE UPGRADES METERS

Estimated bills soon will become a thing of the past for AmerenUE customers.

Devices being installed over the next three months will enable AmerenUE to read both gas and electric meters by remote control.

"Work started this week on electric meters," said Doug Groesbeck, manager of AmerenUE's southeast district. "Gas-meter installation will start next month."

Although the conversion is expected to be completed in three months, it could be spring before all the technology is in place for the upgrade.

CellNet Data Systems of San Carlos, Calif., a wireless, fixed-network, automated data-gathering-and-distribution company, is retrofitting AmerenUE meters.

The system will eliminate the estimated bill that sometimes results when weather, a locked gate or other obstacles prevent meter readers from getting to the meter.

"Another important feature for the new electric meters is that they will automatically signal AmerenUE when a customers has a power outage," said Groesbeck.

The system, called Network Meter Reading, also will enable AmerenUE to provide greater information on customer usage and pave the way for new customer services including off-peak pricing and flexible billing options.

Installation started Tuesday in the North Kingshighway and Hopper Road areas.

The new meters look the same as the old meters, except they have internal devices that send metering information by radio signal to AmerenUE computers.

Most meters -- both electric and gas -- can be fitted with the new signals without interruption of service. A few may require installation of a new meter.

"In those cases we ill contact the property owner to arrange for cutoff," said Groesbeck. "On completion we will contact the owner to turn power back on."

He said meters will continue to be read by a meter reader while technicians install and test the new equipment.

CellNet started retrofitting AmerenUE meters in late 1995 in the St. Louis area. AmerenUE started extending the system in Missouri in 1998.

CellNet is managing the meter change project using workers from Volt Viewtech.

In the future the new technology may enable customers to get up-to-date information about their daily or hourly energy uses and usage patterns, giving them more control over their energy decisions.

AmerenUE, a division of St. Louis-based Ameren Corp., provides service to 1.2 million customers in Missouri and Illinois.