FirstEnergy plans to install an additional 1.4 million smart meters for its customers in Ohio.

This will be done through its three Ohio electric companies – Ohio Edison, Illuminating and Toledo Edison – following agreement on the Grid Mod II grid modernisation plan.

If approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (Puco), the four-year, $421m plan will build on system upgrades completed as part of the Grid Mod I plan approved in 2019, including installation of approximately 706,000 smart meters across Ohio along with the necessary supporting communications infrastructure and data management system.

“At the heart of it all, smart meters are about empowering our customers to make informed decisions about their energy usage and costs,” said Patricia Mullin, acting president of FirstEnergy’s Ohio operations. “With accurate and detailed billing information each month, customers can now take control of their energy costs. We look forward to further modernising our electric system by building on what we completed under Grid Mod I.”

In the future, smart meter benefits will also include the ability to detect and locate outages more quickly and provide more accurate and timely storm restoration information.

The proposed settlement should enhance the customer experience by giving them more control over their energy use, including allotting $3m per year for a smart thermostat rebate programme that will allow eligible residential users to receive up to $100 per qualified smart thermostat. Low income users who are at or below 300% of the federal poverty level will be eligible for a rebate of up to $150 for the purchase of a new, qualifying smart thermostat.

If approved by Puco, a typical FirstEnergy Ohio utility residential customer using 750kW-hours of electricity per month on average could expect to see an increase of about $1.50 per month for the length of the Grid Mod II plan. They will also receive a small, one-time credit for costs associated with a previously approved grid modernisation pilot programme.

Rising energy costs may cause concern for customers. To help them manage their bills, FirstEnergy’s Ohio companies offer budget plans, special payment plans and access to energy assistance programmes.

Parties to the settlement include the Citizens Utility Board of Ohio, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Interstate Gas Supply, Kroger, Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council, Ohio Energy Group, Ohio Energy Leadership Council, Ohio Environmental Council, Ohio Manufacturers’ Association Energy Group, Retail Energy Supply Association and Walmart.

FirstEnergy (firstenergycorp.com) serves customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 38,600km of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.