Delmarva Power was saved the cost of a massive smart meter recall at the 11th hour after the device’s supplier, Silver Springs Networks, verified their safety rating. The initial recall was prompted by concerns about the utility’s new natural-gas smart meters that Delmarva has been deploying to replace old analog electric and natural-gas meters for its 123,000 natural-gas customers, all located in New Castle County.

Silver Springs informed Delmarva on December 8 that the smart meters, which had already been installed in over 20,000 homes, had not been certified for safety, even though Silver Springs was required under its contract with Delmarva to have its products certified for fire safety under the standards of Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

Silver Springs’ chief operating officer, Warren Jenson, acknowledged his company had made an adjustment in the meters’ communications equipment and had failed to have it recertified after the change. But he stresses there was never a question “in our minds this product was safe.”

Even so, Delmarva began pulling the devices. “They have high standards. We supported that decision. Delmarva wanted what they paid for,” Jenson said.

However, on Monday morning the 27th, Silver Spring informed Delmarva that UL had recertified the smart meter after laboratory tests, enabling Delmarva to stop the recall. Delmarva spokeswoman Bridget Shelton reports that the utility had removed fewer than 100 of the devices. Additionally, Shelton says the meters are still being read manually because the communications network is not yet being implemented.

Jenson says Silver Spring will pay for the recall costs Delmarva incurred. “We do apologize for the inconvenience this has caused Delmarva and its customers.”

© smartmeters.com. No Reproduction without permission.