Equitable Gas Co. said it will install 260,000 electronic meter reading devices in its southwestern Pennsylvania utility service territory to gain efficiencies and cut long-term service costs. The implementation and installation process will begin later this month and will be completed by September 2006.

The Mobile Automated Meter Reading (AMR) technology will enable Equitable to virtually eliminate estimated bills, dramatically reduce the number of times a service representative may ever need to enter the customer’s home, improve billing accuracy and enable the company to focus resources on providing safe and reliable service. Customers will receive a post card notification two weeks prior to the installation, which will not require disruption of service.

“We’re deploying this AMR technology as part of our ongoing efforts to improve customer service and reduce our costs,” said Equitable Gas President Randall Crawford. “The use of this technology will also improve our relationship with more than 60,000 customers that currently have indoor meter sets, as the AMR technology virtually eliminates the need to disrupt our customers’ daily schedules to read their meters.”

Tru Check Meter Services, a contractor for Equitable Gas, will be completing the installations, which take less than a half hour. If the meter is outside the home or business, no internal access is required.

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