Consumers Energy expects to have 1.8 million new meters installed across Michigan's Lower Peninsula by the end of the year.
The Jackson-based utility says the work will mark the completion of a five-year project that will allow electric customers to track their energy usage more closely online. It also is expected to help them identify ways to save energy and money.
The service began installing smart meters in 2012. More than 1.3 million electric meters and 350,000 gas communication modules have previously been installed.
Consumer's Energy provides natural gas and electricity to 6.7 million residents in the Lower Peninsula.
The utility says the new meters offer customers the ability to choose their billing date, sign up and receive automated alerts when their energy use is trending higher than usual, and review their energy use by hour, day or month.
