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BACKGROUND <br />PG&E is implementing in Northern California what it calls its SmartMeter program. This <br />program is an automated gas and electric metering system that uses state of the art <br />technology to measure and bill customers for their energy use. PG&E believes the <br />program will provide a number of benefits, such as faster power restoration (the <br />technology will allow PG&E to pinpoint power outages faster), resolving service <br />problems without necessarily having to visit a customer's home or business and, <br />ultimately, providing information as to customers as to the relationship between when <br />utilities are used and the costs related to such use, so that customers can monitor their <br />use of electricity (primarily) and gas and save money by using utilities in off peak hours. <br />In general terms, the SmartMeter system is based on radio frequency technology. Over <br />the course of the next few months, PG&E will be replacing the existing electrical and <br />gas meters throughout Pleasanton with different technology that will transmit the use of <br />electricity and gas via radio signals to data collection units and related facilities that will <br />be mounted on street lights and utility poles throughout Pleasanton. Because these <br />data collection units need to be strategically placed, PG&E has requested the use of <br />four City owned street light poles upon which to place these units. <br />DISCUSSION <br />PG&E will be implementing this program in Pleasanton later this year or early next. <br />Before doing so, PG&E intends to provide comprehensive information to Pleasanton <br />residents about the program and that their utility meters will be changed out. This <br />program would appear to be of benefit to PG&E customers, including the City. <br />Eventually, PG&E will be able to offer customers time of day electric pricing plans so <br />that customers can modify how much electricity they use at different times of the day. <br />By shifting their use away from times when electrical demand is highest, customers can <br />save on their energy bills. <br />The data collection units and related facilities that PG&E wants to mount on four City <br />owned street lights are relatively small. The data collection units are only 24 inches tall <br />and the antenna about 30 inches in height. See attached depiction. Moreover, unlike <br />the Metricom data collection system that was installed on almost all street lights several <br />years ago and then went bankrupt (that caused the City itself to remove the system), <br />PG&E proposes to use only four of the City's street lights. PG&E will also pay the City <br />$780 per pole ($39/pole for 20 years) and provide security for the facilities' removal <br />should the system be abandoned and PG&E itself fails to remove the system from the <br />City's poles. <br />Page 2 of 3 <br />