Smart meters can be thought of the greatest consumer empowerment tool in the last 100 years in the power utility segment, says Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative (SGCC).
Smart meters helps customers take control of their electricity spending and understand how to manage this cost in ways never before possible.
SGCC has released a video and fact sheet to create awareness about smart meters. The organization has also launched a website, www.WhatIsSmartGrid.
These materials also help customers eliminate the myths associated with smart grid technologies. About a common myth that smart meters cause radio frequency exposure, SGCC says it would take 375 years of direct contact with a smart meter to equal the same amount of radio frequency exposure from a daily, 15-minute cell phone call during the course of one year.
Regarding the privacy infringement concerns of some customers, SGCC says smart meters only record how much power is being used, and not specifically how it’s being used.
Smart meters bring several economic benefits. They could reduce the cost of power interruptions by more than 75 percent, reducing frustration and saving the American economy more than $150 billion a year.
“We’re setting the record straight about smart meters to help consumers lay their apprehension to rest and understand the many benefits of the technology,” said SGCC Executive Director Patty Durand.
Also read: Global smart grid market to surpass $400 billion by 2020