GAHANNA, Ohio, Dec. 29, 2014 – Approximately 105,000 AEP Ohio customers throughout the company’s service territory will receive updated electric meters over the next five months as the company expands the use of automated meter reading (AMR) technology. AMR technology provides a means of reading electric meters remotely.

           The company will install radio frequency (RF) meters that send information over radio waves making it possible for meter readers to gather meter information remotely using either a handheld device or a vehicle mounted mobile unit. AMR meters only transmit meter readings that are collected by the meter reader remotely unlike smart meters that use two-way communications to receive and transmit information between the meter and the utility on a continuous basis.

           "The main purpose of installing the AMR meters is to increase meter reading percentages across the AEP Ohio service territory and reduce the number of estimated bills,” said Doug Ickes, manager of meter revenue operations for AEP Ohio. “In addition, the decision to strategically increase the use of AMR technology will provide a safer work environment for AEP Ohio employees."

           The project will begin this week and should be completed by the end of May, barring weather delays. AEP Ohio is partnering with APEX to install the meters. Meter installations will be conducted Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and should go virtually unnoticed by customers. Prior to crews starting work, customers will receive a postcard by mail if their meter is to be replaced. A door hanger will be left when the installation is complete.

           For more information regarding the Automated Meter Reading (AMR) project, contact the AEP 24-hour Customer Operations Center at 1-800-672-2231 or visit the AEP Ohio website at https://aepohio.com/info/projects/AMR/ .

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           AEP Ohio provides electricity to nearly 1.5 million customers of major AEP Subsidiary Ohio Power Company in Ohio.  AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and is a unit of American Electric Power. News and information about AEP Ohio can be found at AEPOhio.com.

           American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a 40,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. AEP’s utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east and north Texas). AEP’s headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio. News releases and other information about AEP can be found at AEP.com.

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