MARTINS FERRY — Residents in the Martins Ferry area may have noticed a flyer in their mailbox touting the coming of new “smart meters” from American Electric Power.

The cardboard flyer warns customers in a friendly manner that in a few weeks, AEP workers will be coming to residents’ home to remove their old meters. They will be replaced by the new “smart meters.” Residents are expected to receive an automated call about the work a week before it is set to occur.

Back in December, Paul Prater, a spokesman for American Electric Power Ohio, said the work would begin during the first quarter of 2018. Prater noted workers would not be required to enter homes and should not ask to enter homes.

After the meter is installed, AEP can read the meters remotely, meaning a worker will not have to be sent to people’s homes for readings. The replacement process should only take minutes, and residents do not need to be home during the process.

“A smart meter is an electric meter equipped with two-way communication technology that provides near real-time meter readings and the secure transfer of customers’ usage information to AEP Ohio for billing and operational purposes. The technology improves billing accuracy and eliminates the need for a meter reader to enter onto a customer’s property,” according to information provided by AEP.

Residents can opt out of receiving the new meter, but they will be charged a $48 “uninstall” fee for doing so and a monthly fee of $24 for having the meter read by a worker.

“The current electric grid is being upgraded to take advantage of emerging technologies and offer more benefits to our customers. Smart meters will replace the current meters used in homes to record electric usage, many of which are the older, obsolete analog meters,” AEP notes.

AEP already has installed 132,000 smart meters in Central Ohio. It will install another 900,000 meters during this latest round of work across the state during 2018. About 3,400 meters will be changed out in Martins Ferry.

Other highlights of the new meters:

∫ A phone app will allow people to check their electric usage.

∫ The meter will alert AEP of an outage.

AEP also lists Barnesville, Bridgeport, Shadyside and Steubenville as other local areas that will get the new meters during 2018.