Can I read my energy usage from the Edison SmartConnect meter?

Yes. Once the smart meter is installed, you can read the meter through one of the rotating digital screen displays. Look for the screen that displays "001" in the upper left-hand corner. It should appear approximately every 10 seconds. Each time you use a kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity, the meter screen display will increase by one. The more electricity you use, the faster the number increases. The digital display represents a cumulative read, much like a car's odometer.

What can I read on my usage reports?

In the months after the meter is installed, you will be able to see online usage reports as recent as the previous day. Residential customers will see usage in hourly increments; business customers will see usage in 15-minute increments. You can monitor your energy use online in My Account.

Can I opt out of a smart meter? 

As a residential customer, you may exercise the opt-out alternative choice by calling us at 1-800-810-2369 to enroll.

Are there costs associated with opting out of the smart meter? 

Yes, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has established an initial set-up fee of $60 and an ongoing monthly charge of $26 to opt out of the smart meter. If you participate in income-qualified programs like California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE), the initial set-up fee is $10 and the ongoing monthly charge is $5. These associated opt-out fees will be added to your monthly bill. 

Fees and program options are subject to change by the CPUC.

Why does it cost money to opt out of a smart meter?

California’s standard for metering is now smart meters. The CPUC has determined that those customers who choose the non-standard service should pay the costs for non-standard service. The cost covers manual meter reading and associated operational and billing activities.

How does SCE use my energy-use data?

Smart meters transmit only two types of information to us: the amount of electricity you use and when you use it. We use this information to ensure that your monthly bill is accurate and to manage and optimize the electricity grid that serves our region.

Will my personal information be shared?

Your privacy is important to us, and your energy usage data will never be shared without your permission or request. We maintain strict confidentiality and privacy policies and use state-of-the-art technology to safeguard your information.

How secure is the wireless communications system?

Security protocols for Edison SmartConnect are adapted from the banking and defense sectors in order to ensure the highest levels of security and privacy. All information transmitted between meters and the utility is encrypted using U.S. government-approved and recommended standards, and we work with federal and state agencies to stay ahead of cyber threats.

How do smart meters transmit data?

Our smart meters communicate using low-power radio frequency (RF) energy that is similar or weaker in strength than that created by devices such as mobile phones.

What is RF energy, and is it harmful?

RF energy is another term for electromagnetic fields, radio waves or wireless signals. A person’s exposure to RF signals depends on three factors: signal strength, distance from the device, and transmission frequency. The Edison SmartConnect meter transmits only a few minutes each hour at an extremely low level of signal strength, comparable to other home devices. This already low signal diminishes greatly by distance. For example, when standing one foot from the meter, the strength is less than 3 percent of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) allowable exposure limit. This percentage decreases at 3 feet to .267 percent and to .009 percent right behind the wall where the meter is installed. These exposure percentages are lower than or similar to those of other household devices such as cordless phones or wireless baby monitors. 

According to the FCC, radio signals may be harmful when humans are exposed to very high levels of RF energy. High levels of RF energy are only found very close to antennas transmitting hundreds of thousands of watts, such as television and FM radio stations and radar antenna stations.

Are there any safety limits on human exposure to wireless and RF fields?

Yes. Limits on wireless and RF energy exposures have been recommended by international and national health authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the U.S., the FCC developed science-based safety guidelines through guidance and recommendations from the National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The FCC's safety guidelines include a safety factor of 50—meaning 50 times lower than the power levels that could cause harm to the human body—for the general population limits. These guidelines serve to protect the general population from overexposure to RF energy.

How much RF energy do smart meters emit?

Our meters emit only a fraction of the power limits identified in the FCC guidelines for safe RF exposure. The FCC developed these science-based safety guidelines in consultation with scientists, health and engineering experts and organizations like NCRP, IEEE, and ANSI.

Will the smart meter interfere with implanted medical devices or other wireless devices?

The low-power design of Edison SmartConnect meters greatly reduces the probability of interference with other wireless devices. Our meter has passed FCC-required non-interference tests performed at a certified third party test laboratory and is not expected to cause harmful interference to other wireless or electronic systems. There are a number of existing everyday environmental sources that produce much stronger RF fields than those of our smart metering system. If these existing sources are not causing interference, it is highly unlikely that the relatively weak fields produced by the Edison SmartConnect meter would interfere with the operation of a medical device.