SaskPower plans to install 7,500 more smart meters

More smart meters will be installed throughout Saskatchewan following the completion of a pilot installation.

The pilot program launched in October, 2017 with 584meters installed for commercial and industrial customers. According to a news release issued bySaskPower, the devicesoperated as planned.

One of the meters malfunctioned and stopped working, but SaskPower said that is "routine for a small percentage of any electronic device."

Theprovincial Crown corporation also found thatcertain locations are more difficult to communicate with in its data network. It says it has made adjustments in those cases.

About 7,500 more meters will be installed for commercial and industrial customers in the province for the expanded pilot.

In 2014, the Saskatchewan governmentorderedSaskPower to remove 105,000 smartmetersinstalled at homes and businesses across the province.

A review of the provincial smart meters saidwarning signs were missed andcustomer safety was not given enough priority by SaskPower.

According to the review, the companyhad received advicethat it should have installed small batches of meters gradually and then monitor them for problems.

Instead of doing that, thecompany installed 105,000 during a three week period.

It was eventually determined that moisture and other contaminants were the cause of the fires, rather than issues with installation.