ThisWeek CW 02/09/2012
Columbia Gas of Ohio plans to install new meter-reading equipment in approximately 10,000 properties in Canal Winchester.
That number is a combination of homes and and small commercial businesses.
Finance director Nanisa Osborn told Canal Winchester City Council Monday the installation of the new devices will start on Feb. 13.
“For those people whose meters are outside, it just amounts to Columbia putting the device on the meter, but for those with it inside, they’ll (company personnel) need access to the home to install the equipment,” Osborn said.
According to an email from Columbia Gas spokesman Ken Stammen, postcards will be sent to residents to make them aware of the installation schedule and when they can expect a representative from TruCheck Utility Metering Solutions at their properties to complete the installation.
“Columbia Gas of Ohio is upgrading the way it reads meters by installing a radio-based automated meter reading (AMR) system on all residential and small commercial gas meters,” Stammen said. “Once the AMR system is completely installed in your community, it will allow us to read meters every month and eliminate every-other-month estimated reads.”
According to Osborn, some city residents will require an upgraded gas meter along with the AMR installation.
“There are some houses in Canal Winchester that still have very old gas meters, and most of those are inside the home, so (Columbia Gas) is making appointments to change out the meter and then add the automatic reader,” Osborn said. “In those cases, they’ll be without service for about two hours.”
Stammen said customers who need to provide access to Columbia Gas to make the equipment change will be given the opportunity to schedule the change themselves directly with the TruCheck contractor.
According to Osborn, this change is part of an agreement between Columbia Gas and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
“There’s no cost to the customers associated with any of the work being done by Columbia,” she said. “Even with installing a whole new meter, this is part of their agreement with PUCO.”
In other news regarding Columbia Gas, council voted unanimously Monday to table an ordinance to establish an agreement between the city and the company for the purpose of relocating a gas transmission line that will be disturbed by the Gender Road Phase 2 project.
Councilwoman Bobbie Mershon said she was asking that the ordinance be tabled “because Columbia Gas has been indecisive of what they want us to pass for this agreement.”
Council also agreed to suspend the rules requiring three readings of an ordinance and to adopt the 2011 Ohio building and fire codes, which went into effect Jan. 1. The adoption of these codes is required for cities that complete their own building and fire inspections, according to development director Lucas Haire.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 20, at Town Hall, 10 N. High St.