LEC Technology Roadmap
Plotting a Course for the Future
In spring 2024, Lane Electric began a multi-year project to upgrade system infrastructure and electric meters throughout our service area. The new devices will replace outdated technology, leading to more reliable service, resilient communities, and efficient operations. The project is broken into three phases:
- Phase 1 (March-Aug 2024) – Project start, design, staff training
- Phase 2 (Sept-Dec 2024) – Test installation/ integration
- Phase 3 (2025-2026) – System-wide deployment
We’re Modernizing our System to Better Serve You
The new technology, which will replace our existing meters, will also help Lane Electric monitor our system for better efficiency and operation, allowing for two-way communication to field equipment and providing numerous benefits to our members. This includes:
- Automated power outage reporting, improved restoration, and member communications
- Enhanced reliability
- Improved energy usage information and options for our members
- More efficient internal business processes regarding billing and metering.
- Better planning, utilization and operation of our distribution system.
- Operational savings.
- Improved and more effective load management system.
- Improved employee safety.
What Members Can Expect
You have likely seen Lane Electric crews out across the territory working on infrastructure updates to accommodate the new system. This work will continue through year end. Meter installation is expected to begin in 2025 and will focus on on one area at a time.
We will be conducting town hall meetings, starting in January 2025, to speak to any questions members have.
- January 16, 5:30-7:30 p.m. – Oakridge District at Lowell High School
- January 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m. – McKenzie District at Upper McKenzie Community Center
- January 30, 5:30-7:30 p.m. – Oakridge District at Oakridge High School
- February 10, 5:30-7:30 p.m.– Central District at Crow High School
- February 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m. – Row River at Dorena Grange
Members are welcome to attend any meeting. In addition to conversation, we’ll have some informational displays, light snacks, and a raffle at each event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lane Electric will be deploying Itron Riva meters to better serve our membership. The technology on Lane Electric’s old smart meters is outdated and we can no longer source parts. Our new system will provide better outage reporting, improve restoration times, and enhance reliability. It will also help Lane Electric with planning, utilization, and better operation of our distribution system. Efficiencies that will ultimately save the cooperative valuable time and resources.
Members will be notified at least a month before their scheduled installation. We expect the first 4,000 meters to be installed in:
- Eugene (south)
- Creswell
- Cottage Grove
- Lowell
- Dexter
- Fall Creek
- Jasper
- Pleasant Hill
- Springfield
Lane Electric has partnered with Allegiant Utilities Services, which specializes in providing rural utilities with meter installation and testing.
No. The technology on Lane Electric’s old smart meters is outdated and we can no longer source parts for them. All residential meters will be updated to the Itron meter.
Electrical meters and communication networks are certified to federal standards for safe and secure operation. Advanced meters are electrical devices with communication capabilities, and as such they emit energy. These emissions are well below the limits set for safe operation and in fact are well below the emissions for many common household devices such as mobile phones, microwave ovens and internet routers.
For a monthly fee, you can opt to have an Itron meter with the communication function removed. In this scenario you must be a member in good standing and enter an advanced metering agreement acknowledging the monthly fee and confirming that you will send in manual reads on a monthly basis, or when requested by the cooperative.
Learn more about Lane Electric’s advanced metering exception.
You may experience a momentary outage with the meter is replaced. It will only last a few minutes.
No, all work is completed outside, but we will knock on your door before to let you know we are onsite. As always, we ask members to make sure the meter is accessible.
Data privacy and security of the grid are a top priority for us. Protection begins at the meter, where technology defends against hacking and information is encoded whenever data is transmitted.
Lane Electric takes cybersecurity seriously and regards it as essential to the success of this project and our mission to provide reliable electricity. One of the major factors in selecting our supplier for the meter upgrade was evaluating the cybersecurity of the equipment before installation. We require our meter supplier to follow best practices, use appropriate countermeasures against potential threats and ensure that systems are updated as future cybersecurity vulnerabilities are discovered. While no system can ever be considered 100% secure against every threat, we are confident that Lane Electric and our partners are following best practices and standards to maintain a secure electric system.
Electric meters provide energy use information for billing and resolving problems with your electric service. All personal information about our members is confidential; energy data is strictly limited to the provision of electric service. We do not disclose, share, rent, lease or sell members’ energy information, unless it’s required by law.
No. Lane Electric’s 2024 rates will remain as they are through end of the year. The cooperative is in the middle of budget planning for 2025 and will share more in the coming months.
Over the life of the project the savings are projected to completely offset the cost of the project and help reduce future rate increases.
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