IDACORP’s public utility Idaho Power just announced that is has signed a $10 million deal with Landis+Gyer to purchase 450,000 of their residential smart meters. The meters have several advantages over traditional meters: they can track usage and help utilities plan ahead, they allow utilities to charge more during peak hours of use and less during off-peak hours, they allow customers to sell power they generate back to the utilities, and they don’t require a meter reader to come out and read them every month.

According to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, "Idaho Power estimates the system will cost more than $70 million, but won’t roll that into a rate increase at this time. Instead, “the capital costs of the project will be in base rates as the meters are placed in service,” the commission said."