Electric Meters

Have you noticed your electric meter lately? If you have, you may have noticed a change. The Siloam Springs Electric Department has launched a program that will enhance our meter reading as well as the overall accuracy of the electric billing process. A key part of this program is a new type of electric meter that you may have noticed on your home. These new meters look like the older ones, but that is where the similarity stops. They feature an LCD display for the kilowatt-hours, solid-state circuitry, and a microprocessor to calculate your electric usage. These meters have many of the same features as your home computer. Why, they can even alert the Electric Department if they have been tampered with.

The feature that will benefit both the city and the homeowners the most is the manner in which these meters are read. Inside the meter is a miniature radio transmitter that sends the meter reading to a handheld device that the meter reader carries. This not only insures that the readings are accurate, it also speeds up the process considerably. The meter can communicate with the reading device from several hundred feet away. If you haven't seen the meter reader at your house lately, do'nt worry; your meter is being read accurately
on a regular basis.

This meter change-out program will extend for several years until all of the City's residential electric customers and the majority of the commercial customers are upgraded. From this point forward all new homes and single-phase businesses will receive the radio-read meters. Additionally, we are upgrading existing electric meters beginning with the oldest meters that are currently in the field. The Electric Department has currently installed in excess of fifteen hundred of these meters and is adding to this number on a monthly basis. This is just one example of how your electric utility, Siloam Springs Electric, is keeping up with new technology for the benefit of the community.

While we have your attention, we would also like to take a moment to remind our customers of the residential and commercial "Total Electric" rates offered by the City of Siloam Springs. This rate is divided into two schedules based on the seasons. From May 15 to October 15, the Total Electric rate saves the customer around 2% on his energy cost. However, during the colder months, from October 15 to May 15, the savings amounts to nearly 50% compared to the basic residential and commercial rates. To qualify, your home or business must use electricity as the primary source of heating, cooling, and water heating.
With the high efficiency water heaters, HVAC systems, and heat pumps, it makes good sense to consider these as money-saving options for your home or business. So if it is time to upgrade existing equipment, or if you are building
a new home or business, our Total Electric rates are something you should think about.

If you have any questions regarding our new remote meter program or our Total Electric utility rates, please feel free to contact Glenn Severn, Customer Service Supervisor, or Art Farine, Director of the Siloam Springs Electric Department.