"TEC-METERS"
FROM ITS VERY BEGINNING...
Talquin Electric Cooperative has embraced a simple mission: To deliver services to its Members as reliably, fairly and affordably as possible. Talquin’s new "TEC- Meters" will help keep costs to Members as low as possible, improve reliability and reduce operational costs over the long run.
"TEC- Meters" are the most cost-effective and efficient metering solution for the Cooperative. Half the cost of the new system will be paid for with a federal grant – your tax dollars, coming back to you. The remaining cost of the new system will be offset in several ways:
- By reducing the amount of uncollected energy use
- By allowing us to reassign staff to more productive roles
- By avoiding fuel and trip-related expenses to capture meter readings
There will not be a separate charge for replacement of the meters. However, a Member whose meter base is not accessible or does not meet safety code will be responsible to pay for repairs.
BENEFITS OF THE NEW "TEC- METERS":
REDUCE THE COOPERATIVE’S COSTS
As a Member-based Cooperative, Members share all the costs and benefit equally from all savings. When consumers fail to report their full energy usage or leave the Cooperative without paying their final bills, all Members are left to pay the price. With the new meters, energy usage will be captured accurately and billed more promptly to help ensure all Members pay only for the energy that they used. New "TEC-Meters" should reduce operating costs by eliminating unnecessary expenses and recovering lost revenue. This will allow the Cooperative to be more efficient.
BETTER OUTAGE MANAGEMENT
Because the meters are in communication with the Talquin Electric Operations Center, our dispatchers will know if your electric service goes out – possibly even before you do. That means we will be able to get to work fixing the problem as quickly as possible.
MORE CONVENIENT
Members will no longer have to read their own meters and report their monthly energy usage. This will be particularly helpful to Members with disabilities or physical limitations, those with multiple meters, absentee owners and frequent travelers. The new "TEC- Meters" will automatically report usage and provide Members with a wide range of information, which they can access on the Talquin website or by visiting any Talquin Area Office.
The graph below outlines a per meter, per month estimated cost of the system itself and the savings that are expected to result from deploying the "TEC- Metering" System on all accounts.
CURRENT BILLING
With the existing Member-read system, your bill could reflect energy usage from about 30-60 days ago. The new "TEC- Meters" will report your energy consumption as you use it, giving you up-to-date information, accessible on our website or at any Talquin Area Office. This will allow you to monitor, track and make more-informed decisions about your energy usage.
WHAT TO EXPECT
- Notification when work begins in your area
- Members do not need to be home when the new "TEC- Meter" is installed
- "TEC- Meters" are designed to be installed into the same meter base as your current meter
- There is no additional cost to Members for the "TEC- Meter"
BILLING TRUE-UP
Historically, our member read system has caused a lag in the Cooperative’s billing of 30-60 days. The new metering system will allow accounts to be caught up so that bills reflect the most recent month of consumption. In making the transition, the Cooperative will be conducting a one-time true-up of residential accounts.
In making the transition, the Cooperative will have to catch up all accounts when the new system is installed. We call this a billing “true-up.” Once your "TEC- Meter" is installed, Talquin will add the unbilled usage from the old meter to the current usage from the new meter at your normal billing date.
Talquin will combine the unbilled usage on the old meter at the time it is removed with any usage that accumulates on the new meter up to the time of billing. To make the true-up easier for our members, this combined total usage will be cut in half for the member’s first bill and the other half will automatically be broken into 10 equal interest-free monthly installments. The installments begin with the first bill following the meter exchange. The true-up amount will be listed separately on each bill.
EXAMPLE OF BILLING TRUE- UP:
If $200 of usage registers on the old meter and the current usage on the new meter is $100, then Talquin will combine $200 + $100, resulting in a $300 balance.
Members will owe $150 (half) plus the first installment of $15 for a total of $165.
The remaining $135 will be broken into 9 equal interest-free monthly installments.
For this example, $15 would be added to the first bill following the meter exchange and would continue for the next 9 months. The true-up may be paid in full at any time.
Questions or concerns about the new TEC meters or changes to your bill? Please call the TEC Connects hotline at 877-810-0574.
CAN I STILL READ MY OWN METER?
YES. Meters will continue to display usage and can be monitored by Members who want to keep up with their usage by checking the display.
Members have asked “What day will my meter be read?” The read dates will be as follows and these dates will not vary regardless of weekends or holidays:
Cycle 2 - the 3rd of each month
Cycle 3 – the 10th of each month
Cycle 4 – the 17th of each month
Cycle 1 – the 25th of each month
What Members are saying about the new "TEC -Meters"?
“When I learned Talquin Electric was investing in an upgraded meter system, I became quite excited. As a Cooperative, this type of upgrade is good for everyone. What is good for the Cooperative is good for me and my neighbors. Talquin Electric Cooperative is indeed stepping into the 21st century.”
- Roy T. Rhodes, III, Proud Member for more than 30 years
“I read multiple meters for accounts in different locations. It’s time consuming and a lot to keep up with. Since the new TEC Meters report energy usage and outages automatically, it will save me time and money.”
- Emily Rowan, Member for more than 16 years
Emily’s parents joined Talquin in 1941 and were among the Cooperative’s first Members.
