Lakeland Electric plans to replace more than 10,000 residential smart meters because of concerns they may overheat.
According to The Ledger of Lakeland, utility officials said six of the meters have caught fire during the past year.
The 10,657 meters targeted for replacement represent about 9 percent of the 121,000 Lakeland Electric meters in use. The city began installing digital meters in 2011.
The device in question is called a remote-disconnect meter. Those meters cost about $180, compared with the $120 a typical smart meter costs.
The remote-disconnect meters allow utility officials to turn off a resident's power without going to the home. The meters were installed at homes in rural locations or at homes of customers who have had a history of payment problems, The Ledger reported.