As City Clerk of Casa Grande, Arizona, and part of a family that has called Arizona home for five generations, Gloria Leija has seen her state grow in incredible ways.

Arizona is currently the second-fastest growing state in the country, and Gloria’s home of Casa Grande has seen its population double in the last decade. To tackle this growth, and deliver greater service and more control, APS has begun installing “smart” electric meters on customers’ homes and businesses.

To date, more than 100,000 of the smart meters have been installed. In addition to allowing two-way communication with customers, the smart meter system creates the platform for an energy future in which customers will be able to control appliances and thermostats from remote locations. They will also allow APS to respond more quickly to, and reduce the duration of, electric outages.

Such new technology leads long-time customers like Leija to reflect on the past, and become increasingly excited about the future.

“My grandmother was part of the first generation to settle in Eloy, Arizona,” said Leija. “She didn’t always have electricity in her home, and would tell us about using kerosene lamps for light, and wood stoves for cooking and heat. Now, throughout my family, there are MP3 players, DVD players, high-definition TVs, personal computers…electricity is an important part of our lives.”

It is important to APS as well. That’s why the company will continue to invest more than $1 billion in electric infrastructure each year to power Arizona’s continued growth

Imagine, as an APS customer, being able use your cell phone to manage appliances like your air conditioning or your pool pump.

Or rather than arriving home to a dark home due to an outage, receiving an automated text message from APS letting you know ahead of time the power is off so you can make other plans.

It is this kind of convenience APS will eventually bring to its customers through the installation of new “smart” meters that operate on a two-way, wireless network. With these special devices, consumers can expect improved reliability, better control of energy usage and a level of customer service never imagined by prior generations.

“Our job is to anticipate what our customers will demand in the future, and put ourselves in a position to provide it,” said Tammy McLeod, APS vice president and chief customer officer. “We are committed to investing in technologies that benefit our customers. Advanced metering technology holds the potential of providing customers with a quantum leap in service in the future.”

Traditional meters only measure customer energy usage, while smart meters have the ability to offer real-time communication between the customer and APS.

A pilot program for smart meters began with 500 and has grown from there. Currently, more than 100,000 smart meters have been installed around the state and the company is replacing 7,000 meters per month.

According to Michael Goguen, director, Operations Support, and the project leader, the technology has reached a maturity level where it provides significant benefits to our customers.

“The company already is seeing benefits from these special meters with wireless meter reads that eliminate the need for APS personnel to go out in the field,” Goguen said. “The meters can even be remotely reprogrammed should a customer change service plans.”

In a partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR® program and Arizona home- builders, APS now offers homebuyers an energy-efficient choice with APS ENERGY STAR Homes®*.

“People want more control over how they use power, and the APS Energy Star Homes Program is an easy, practical way to give customers control over their energy use and save them money,” said Tom Hines, of APS' Customer Information & Programs department.

Although they look the same as other homes from the outside, APS Energy Star Homes are designed and built with energy efficiency in mind. Each home uses a variety of energy-efficient features including high-efficiency air conditioning, tight construction and air ducts, high performance windows, efficient appliances and lighting, and upgraded insulation. During construction, APS Energy Star homes are randomly inspected and tested to ensure each home meets strict specifications for energy efficiency.

APS ENERGY STAR HOME BUILDERS INCLUDE:
Ashmor Homes
Ashton Woods Homes
Centex Homes
Columbia Communities
Conquest Homes
Countrywalk Homes
Del Webb
Doucette Homes
Elite Communities
Ericksen Homes
Empire Communities
Habitat for Humanity - Valley of the Sun
Homes by Towne
Keystone Homes
Monogram Design Builders
Monterey Homes
Pulte Homes
Rosewood Homes
SunCor Homes
Talas Homes

*The APS Energy Star® Homes program is funded by APS customers and is approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission.