I&M Begins Installing Smart Meters in Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne-based Indiana Michigan Power has begun installing smart meters in Fort Wayne as part of the first phase of its “Powering the Next” initiative. I&M says its goal is to install 57,000 smart meters in the city by the end of January and 195,000 by the end of 2022.

According to the utility, smart meters use secure, two-way wireless communication to measure and record electricity usage and send the information from a customers’ meter to I&M. The data is used to show customers when they are using the most energy and help them save energy.

The utility began installing smart meters in the city earlier this year, and to date, I&M says crews have installed nearly 30,000 units.

“The new smart meters are part of Indiana Michigan Power’s ongoing commitment to help meet the evolving expectations and needs of our customers,” said Dave Isaacson, vice president of distribution region operations for I&M. “Smart meters give our customers more control over their daily energy usage, can help create smart energy habits, aid in power restoration and smart meters are overall more convenient.”

The utility says nearly 75,000 I&M customers, including 45,000 in Indiana, already use the technology. The efforts are part of I&M’s multi-year project to upgrade more than 580,000 meters across Indiana and Michigan.