SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)-- Beginning in 2025, Eversource will begin installing smart meters in homes and businesses for reading electricity use. This latest technology will offer customers detailed information about their energy use and power outage alerts. Additionally, it will allow Eversource to detect power outages in real-time with information on the location of the outage that helps speed up power restoration outside of major storms. Eversource requests natural gas rate hike in Massachusetts A smart meter is a digital electric meter with wireless communication that transmits information to Eversource's equipment and systems. “Upgrading to smart meters is like replacing an old flip phone with a smartphone,” said Eversource Senior Vice President of Customer Operations, Digital Strategy, and Chief Customer Officer Jared Lawrence. “In addition to providing our team with information that we can use to reduce the length of power outages for our customers, smart meters will enable our customers to monitor their energy use in near real-time—including how they use power, how much they use and peak times of use during the day—empowering them to take steps to reduce their energy consumption and bill.” The transition to smart meters for all of Eversource’s Massachusetts electric customers is expected to take approximately three years to complete with installation starting in western Mass in the second half of 2025. Customers will be notified several times before work to install their new smart meter. Local News Headlines Over two dozen firefighters worked to put out brush fire in Monson Missing New Hampshire woman found dead in Massachusetts Western Massachusetts residents to ride bus for free through June Open enrollment begins for Massachusetts Health Connector WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.