CINCINNATI, Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy
Kentucky is launching its smart meter deployment program later this
month, bringing the new digital technology to customers in northern
Kentucky.
The new smart meters are part of Duke Energy's commitment to
building a smarter energy future. The investment in the digital
technology will improve reliability and help the company meet the
changing needs and expectations of customers.
The new meters offer a number of enhanced services that will
provide customers with more control over their energy use as well
as offer tailored bill payment options.
Customers with smart meters will have the opportunity to pick
billing due dates, and receive alerts that will guide their monthly
budgeting and help them manage their personal energy lifestyle.
"Customers have told us they want more timely access to their
energy usage information, and bringing these smart meters to
Kentucky is a way for us to meet
those expectations," said Jim
Henning, president, Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky. "We know our customers also want
more control over their energy usage, their utility bill and tools
to help them make smart energy choices to best fit their
needs."
Customers will be notified via bill inserts, post cards, door
hangers, phone calls and letters to let them know when we will be
in their neighborhood for installations. Deployment will take
approximately eighteen months.
Click here to learn more about smart meter technology.
Pick Your Due Date
Pick Your Due Date offers eligible Duke Energy Kentucky
customers the option to select a billing due date that best aligns
with their personal needs and finances to provide more flexibility
and control when paying their monthly bills.
Usage Alerts
Monthly energy costs can be tricky to predict. Duke Energy
Kentucky customers can now take control of their electricity use
and monthly budget with Usage Alerts.
Customers will automatically receive an email halfway through
the billing cycle. The email will include the current bill amount
and a projection of their final monthly bill. Customers also
have the option to receive mid-cycle alerts via text message.
Customers can also set up budget alerts to help keep their bill
in check. They will be informed when their bill is expected to
reach a specific dollar amount of their choosing, allowing them to
course-correct and cut back on usage if they wish. It's similar to
when your cell phone provider gives you a data usage update when
you are nearing the limits of your plan.
These offerings will be available as new smart meters are
installed. These meters are an evolution of the company's previous
meter-reading technology and provide greater benefits and a
better experience for customers.
Faster Service
Are you moving? With smart meters, most residential
customers may no longer have to wait for a Duke Energy
representative to come to their premises to connect or
disconnect their electric service because requests can be
performed remotely. For reconnecting or disconnecting gas service,
we will still need access to the gas meter.
Quicker Response to Power Outages
Today you still need to notify us if you are experiencing a
power outage. With a new smart meter, there is a two-way
conversation with our computer systems, and we will know more about
outages than we know today. This could help us respond faster to
restore service. In the future, your smart meter may even report
the outage for you!
Fewer Estimated Customer Bills
Smart meters are read automatically – not manually –so there's
no need to estimate bills when meters can't be easily accessed,
such as during severe weather. Duke Energy will no longer have to
access a customer's property for monthly, walk-by meter reads.
Your Information Is Safe and Protected
Your energy usage information is strictly confidential. Duke
Energy does not share this data with anyone without your
authorization. The information coming from our smart meters is
encrypted and protected from the moment it is collected until the
moment it is purged.
Digital smart meter technology uses radio frequency bands that
have been used for many years in devices such as baby monitors,
remote-controlled toys and medical monitors. The radio signals are
far below the levels emitted by common household appliances and
electronics, including cellphones and microwave ovens. According to
the World Health Organization, FCC, U.S. Food and Drug
Administration and Electric Power Research Institute, no adverse
short- or long-term health effects have been shown to occur from
the radio frequency signals produced by smart meters or other such
wireless networks.
Smart Meter Opt Out
If you choose to opt out of having a smart meter installed at
your residence, please contact Duke Energy toll free at
877.675.1656 or 513.419.1777. Please note that a $25 monthly fee will be charged to your energy
bill to cover the costs of manually reading your meter each month.
If you opt out after the smart meter is installed, a one-time fee
of $100 will be charged to your
energy bill for removal of the smart meter, in addition to the
$25 monthly fee.
Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky
Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky's
operations provide electric service to about 850,000 residential,
commercial and industrial customers in a 3,000-square-mile service
area and natural gas service to approximately 529,000
customers.
Headquartered in Charlotte,
N.C., Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding
companies in the United States.
Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure business unit serves
approximately 7.5 million customers located in six states in the
Southeast and Midwest. The company's Gas Utilities and
Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas to
approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its Commercial Renewables business
unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across
the United States.
Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York
Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the
company is available at duke-energy.com.
The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for
journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and
videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online
destination for stories about people, innovations, and community
and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and
insights into the future of energy.
Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and
Facebook.
Contact: Sally Thelen
Office: 513.287.2432
Twitter: @DE_SallyT
24-hour media line: 800.559.3853
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SOURCE Duke Energy