PUC

plans meter

readings

via Internet

Plan affects 10 largest utility users

By CHRIS VETTER

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Gas, water and electric meters in town may soon be read over the Internet.

Robert Stevenson, director of utilities for the Public Utility Commission, told the PUC board Tuesday about a plan to upgrade meter readings at the largest utility users in town. The meters would send pulses after a certain amount of electricity is used.

The new technology is needed for future changes to the industry, Stevenson believes.

"If and when deregulation comes ... we have to have 'real-time' meter reading," Stevenson told the board. "It has to do with service of the customer."

He added: "It's a backbone element to a deregulated economy."

Upgrading the meters on each site could cost less than $400, Stevenson said. The commission plans to pick out the ten largest utility users and upgrade the meters to send the pulses via the Internet.

"It doesn't make sense to do that for an average household," Stevenson said. "But it makes a lot of sense for 3M and Kraft."

The commission already budgeted money this year for alterations, Stevenson wrote in a memo to board members. The utility is in the process of installing the necessary Internet equipment and a firewall.

Natural gas prices

In other news, Stevenson warned the commission that natural gas prices will likely be higher than expected.

"We're seeing a lot of newspaper articles from other sources, and they're true," Stevenson said. "If anything, they are a bit conservative."

Natural gas prices have not come down, he added.

"We are paying double what we paid for gas over last summer," he said. "Our broker is guessing it will go up another 50 percent this winter. That's up triple from last summer (1999)."

As always, the weather will determine how expensive of a winter it will be for natural gas, Stevenson said.

In a final note, Stevenson invited the public to an open house 1-7 p.m. Oct. 4 at the power plant and water filtration plant. Cake and ice cream will be served, and shuttle rides will connect people to the different buildings.