August 21, 2020 – With more than 21,500 smart meters installed since 2017, SaskPower is ready to begin installing smart meters for remaining commercial and industrial customers.

Between September 2020 and December 2021, the utility will install approx. 27,000 more smart meters; of those, most will go to small- and medium-sized businesses. An additional 3200 farmers and 1100 residential customers are eligible for the type of meter being installed.

Learning from past experiences

“The smart meters we’re installing have been tested rigorously, have proven safe after four years in Saskatchewan’s toughest weather, and meet our own industry-leading standard for smart meters,” said Shawn Schmidt, SaskPower. “Meters we have installed have performed as expected, with no unacceptable failures.”

In 2014, SaskPower started installing, and then removed a certain model of smart meters.

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Back then, the meters shorted out when contaminants (e.g. dust) got inside. “When choosing a meter for our commercial and industrial customers we tested them for this problem. This meter exceeded all those tests,” writes SaskPower.

The utility says all equipment chosen is backed by solid testing, including:

• How it works in extreme hot and cold conditions (-50 C to 85 C).
• How it functions in Saskatchewan weather, including rain and humidity.
• How it stops working or “fails” when exposed to more than double the voltage it’s meant to handle.
• How the meter performs when dust and contaminants get inside.

SaskPower will contact all customers receiving a meter ahead of their installation by mail and phone.

Customers may choose to decline a smart meter at that time.