In 2005, Southern Iowa Electric Cooperative completed the installation of a new Automated Meter Reading (AMR) system. The TWACS (two way automatic communication system) automatically reads our member's meters every month from our office. Each meter contains a small module unit that utilizes power line carrier technology to transmit the meter reading from the meter to substation. There, it will be collected and relayed to our office via telephone line to a computer that will interface with our billing system.

As we gain experience with the system, we will be working on other uses for it. Since the system utilizes two-way communication, not only can the meter talk to us, but we have the ability to talk to the meter as well. This ability provides us with many future opportunities.

Currently SIEC has the ability to use the TWACS system to help us with outage notification. With the new TWACS system we will be able to call up meters to see if there is power. The meters that do not report back to our office identify customers that are out of power. Once the power is restored we will be able to check and see if the meter is back in service. This system will be used to help improve the service we provide to our members.