LYNCHBURG, Va. – Appalachian Power is upgrading meters in some Southwest Virginia communities.
Crews started installing the new meters Monday.
The 54,000 advanced metering infrastructure meters are going up in Christiansburg, Blacksburg, Lynchburg and Lovingston.
There's no charge to customers and officials say it won't impact their bills.
The new meters will allow for remote reading and benefit college towns in particular.
"There are a lot of connects and disconnects as students move, so no longer will we have to send a servicer out there to connect and disconnect service; we'll be able to do that remotely," Appalachian Power spokeswoman Teresa Hamilton Hall said.
The meters could be added to other towns in the region in the future.