Although Philadelphia-based PECO has experienced some overheating issues with its smart meters, the utility has asked regulators if the company can complete its rollout of the devices five years ahead of schedule.
According to a Philadelphia Inquirer report, PECO originally planned to install smart meters for all of its 1.6 million customers until the end of 2019. However, the utility has requested permission from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to spend over $280 million to accelerate its deployment and complete installations by the end of 2014. PECO claims that the new schedule would help save about $58 million, the report adds.
In August 2012, the utility announced that it was halting its smart meter rollout after several units overheated and were tied to fires. By October, PECO resumed its installation program after opting to use a different smart meter manufacturer.
However, the utility is still dealing with smart-meter-related issues. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that a utility spokesperson said a fire occurred last month, hours after PECO installed a new meter on a home. The spokesperson said the fire originated in the meter panel, rather than the smart meter.
