AMARILLO, Texas (Oct. 11, 2021) – Xcel Energy’s Texas customers are receiving notices in the mail outlining the company’s regulatory filling and plans to invest in grid modernization, including information on advanced metering technology that will enable more efficient outage restoration and pave the way for new products and services that will allow customers to have more data to manage their energy usage and keep their bills low.
The notice is for information only and customers are not required to do anything. The notice was required by the Public Utility Commission of Texas as part of the filing process. Nov. 22 is a deadline for interested parties to file as intervenors in the case at the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which has the final authority over Xcel Energy’s fees and rates. The approval process could take several months, and Xcel Energy does not expect to begin installing new metering technology until 2023.
Prior to the start of installing smart meters, customers will receive multiple communications, so they are completely informed on what to expect with the installation of their new meter.
Advanced meters, also known as smart meters, are common elsewhere in Texas. Among their many benefits, smart meters help customers better understand how they are using energy and give them tools to save money and identify specific, measurable actions to make energy-saving improvements in their homes and businesses. They also allow for near real-time monitoring of the distribution system, allowing Xcel Energy to identify outages without customer reporting and respond more efficiently to metering concerns and outages.
