TEMPLE (March 09, 2010)-One utility company is making efforts to restore consumer confidence in its new smart meters after months of complaints from its customers over high electric bills,

Oncor Electric Delivery began doing side-by-side meter comparisons last week in Temple between its new digital ‘Smart’ meters and the old, recently replaced analog meters.

Temple resident Barry Holmes said Monday he has been monitoring the meters since the comparison began and he is now convinced the new digital meters are accurate.

"Well, it allows me to at least prove to myself that apparently the smart meters are correct,” Holmes said, “I guess I actually use that much electricity.”

Oncor spokesman Jim Greer said Monday the week-long tests are a part of a greater push to educate the public on ‘Smart’ energy consumption.

“I think people don’t understand, kind of, what this new ‘Smart’ meter is and, you know, candidly, what the benefit will be coming from it in the long term,” Greer said.

The utility company is also sponsoring what it calls the ‘Smart Texas Mobile Experience,’ which features a 53-foot long trailer filled with various consumer gadgets as well as voltage and amperage meters to show just how much electricity each device uses. The demonstration is designed to help customers make better energy consumption choices.

Still, with all of Oncor’s education efforts, other customers remain unconvinced and await the results from an independent set of tests by the Public Utility Commission.

Oncor customer Ralph Edwards says his typically low $100 electricity bill jumped to $400 in January after the new meter was installed without any notification from the utility company.

“They [Oncor] haven’t asked anybody if [the customers] wanted the old meters or wanted the new meters,” Edwards lamented.

The P.U.C. is expected to begin conducting its own study within in the next next ten days.