San Diego utility’s plan to upgrade meters OKd

Sempra Energy’s San Diego Gas & Electric utility got California regulatory approval for a $572-million plan to upgrade customer meters with equipment that will provide more data on energy consumption.

San Diego Gas & Electric plans to install about 1.4 million advanced electric meters and upgrade 900,000 natural gas meters by the first quarter of 2011.

California has pushed utilities to install meters that can provide detailed energy usage information and allow utilities to reward customers who lower consumption during times of peak demand.