Account Manager Login
Account Manager
Account Manager is not available. Please check back again. We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for your patience!
Smart Meter Quality And Security
Quality Control
Each smart meter goes through a stringent quality-control process before it is installed. The manufacturers of our smart meters must meet strict electricity metering accuracy standards, including those of the American National Institute of Standards (ANSI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
All new smart meters come to us with certified factory test results, which we verify by statistical sample testing on every order we receive. Before installing a new meter, we make sure the existing base is functioning correctly. We do this prior to every installation. If the base is not functioning properly, we complete repairs before installing the new meter.
Installation does not involve re-wiring. Instead, the smart meter plugs into the existing base that is already wired to a customer's service location. There has been no instance of a smart meter causing a fire.
Wired Communications
Smart meters being deployed in Idaho Power's service territory do not transmit radio frequencies. Our smart meters do not use any wireless communication media or generate any high-frequency signals. Our system uses only wired infrastructure to communicate to and from our smart meters utilizing the low-frequency 60 hertz (Hz) power line signal as the carrier for our communications.
This may be of interest because some smart meter deployments in California have raised concerns that radio transmission,
wireless transmission or high-frequency transmission may pose health risks. The technology we're deploying is fundamentally different from the technologies in question in California.
Smart Meters Are Secure
Our smart meters do not communicate over public airways or the Internet. We employ cyber-security standards of encryption and isolation to ensure the integrity of the system. And we take effective precautions to protect our communication system physically.
In our system, smart meter communications happen over the power line between each individual smart meter and a secure Idaho Power distribution substation. Communication utilizes proprietary, secure equipment.
There is no meter-to-meter communication. It is physically impossible for smart meters to communicate with anything other than the substation. Typically, the meters communicate with the substation four times daily to collect usage information.
Idaho Power customer data received from smart meters is secure and confidential. It is used only for Idaho Power business purposes. We do not sell customer information, and smart meters have no photo or video capabilities. Idaho Power is not installing or using remote service-disconnect capability with our smart meter system at this time.
Learn About Smart Meters
Learn how the new meter works and how to calculate your kilowatt-hour usage.
Related Information
