Alabama Power Co. contractors will begin installing new digital “smart” meters at houses in the south Alabama service area this week.

The meters will be read digitally by a relay tower, rather than by meter readers in person.

Brewton office manager Larry Woods said the change of the meters will cause little inconvenience for customers.

“Customers will not be out (of power) for more than 10 minutes,” Woods said.

The contractors working to install the new meters will contact customers the week before they will be in their area to install the new meters. They will also knock on doors as a courtesy to let customers know when they are installing the meters.

Woods said it will take about 30 days for all of the new meters to be installed in southwest Alabama.

Woods said the new meters will be more efficient, and because there is a digital readout, there is less chance to error in reading the meter.