Manual Reading for Electric Meters#
Typically, electric meters are automatically read through the auto-read function of our advanced meters. Customers can opt for their electric meter to be manually read for additional fees.
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Auto-Read: Electric meters are automatically read and send interval data for billing to Utilities. This is the standard process and does not require an additional fee.
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Manual-Read: Non-transmitting electric meters collect interval data and are read manually by Utilities’ Meter Readers.
- This option must be approved by the property owner and requires a one-time meter exchange fee and a monthly read fee.
If you prefer to have your meter manually read for a monthly fee, call our Customer Care Division, 970-212-2900.
Electric Meter Access#
Crews need to be able to access meters at any time, whether for maintenance, inspections or during a power outage. If satisfactory access to the meter for exchange or meter reading purposes is not provided, Utilities may take actions that include the following:
- Utility service termination – Municipal Code Sec. 26-2 (b)
- Permanent transition from manually read electric meter to a standard wirelessly communicating (AMI) meter – Municipal Code Sec. 26-2 (c)
- Additional meter exchange fee – Municipal Code Sec. 26-712 (b)
If Utilities is not provided access, you may be transitioned to our standard Auto-Read wireless communicating (AMI) meter and may not be able to opt back into the non-standard Manual-Read option.
Frequently Asked Questions#
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All electric meters, whether they have wireless communication capabilities or not, continuously measure the amount of energy passing through the wires that serve that home (i.e., the energy that a customer consumes in their house).
In Fort Collins, both the manually read electric meters that have no wireless communication capabilities and the advanced electric meters with wireless communication capabilities record and store this energy consumption in 15-minute intervals.
If you've elected to have your meter manually read, this information is manually downloaded by a meter reader once a month.
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Any device that communicates via radio frequency (RF) must have a Federal Communications Commission FCCID number. The manually read meter does not have a radio; therefore, does not have any wireless communicating capabilities or an FCCID number.
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Advanced meter with FCCID number shown in red box.
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Manual meter
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Yes. The 15-minute interval data downloaded manually by the meter reader once a month is used to determine how many kilowatt-hours were used during on-peak and off-peak periods to calculate how much you are billed each month.
Learn More#
Did You Know?
Changing your hot tub setting to "economy mode" can save energy and money.
Leaving grass clippings where they fall adds nutrients to the soil. A mulching mower chops grass into small pieces.
You can prevent clogs and expensive repairs by only flushing the three Ps: pee, poo and toilet paper.