Merced Irrigation District is proud to serve as your electricity provider and is a local community alternative to private, investor-owned electric companies.
Over the next three years, the District will be replacing meters for its residential and business customers. This is a routine activity and will allow MID to ensure consistent, accurate readings of your energy usage. It will also help ensure you continue to benefit from safe, affordable public power for years to come. With the new meters installed, MID will be able to more quickly respond to future service requests and restore power more quickly during an unexpected outage.
Your meter will be replaced by a uniformed MID employee at no charge to you. When your meter is replaced, there will be a brief interruption in electric service, up to 15 minutes. The employee will not need to enter your home.
If you believe this could create a significant inconvenience, you may schedule an appointment by calling 209-722-3041.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the meter replacement project?
The Meter Replacement Project includes replacing aging electric meters at homes and businesses throughout our service area. The effort will be completed over several years after major work began in early 2022.
Why do MID meters need to be replaced?
- The new meter technology will allow MID to be more responsive to customer inquiries while allowing remote readings of meters.
- Further, the new meters will benefit customers by helping reduce the time to restore power during unplanned interruptions – such as natural wind or storm events.
- The enhanced technology will reduce labor costs and travel for MID employees, thus helping MID contain the costs of operations.
When and how will my meter be changed?
MID began the project in July and August 2019 by installing approximately 225 electric meters in the Atwater area as part of its initial deployment and testing. With that initial deployment successfully completed, MID technicians will now begin replacing the rest of our customers’ meters over the next three years.
If you believe this could create a significant inconvenience, you may schedule an appointment by calling 209-722-3041.
Will I be charged for the new meter?
No. There will be no charge to customers. In fact, among the goals of the project is helping MID contain the costs associated with the operation of the utility.
Will the new meter cause my bill to go up?
No. The new meters will continue to provide accurate readings of your energy usage.
Will my power go out during the replacement?
There will likely be up to a 15-minute interruption in your power. If you believe this could create a significant inconvenience, you may schedule an appointment by calling 209-722-3041.
Who will replace my meter?
Your meter will be replaced by a uniformed MID employee carrying an identification badge. The meter technicians will knock on your door when they arrive and leave behind a notice after the installation is completed. At no time will an employee request to enter your home.
How do I know if my meter was replaced?
MID will leave a notice indicating whether your meter was successfully replaced. If your meter was unable to be replaced, please call the phone number on the notice to schedule an appointment.
Are there any health concerns associated with the meters?
No. MID’s metering infrastructure complies with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC’s) health and safety standards
Will my personal information remain private?
Yes. Like our current meters, the new meters only provide information about the quantity of electricity delivered to you.