Dive Summary:
- Utilities including Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), Pepco, Delmarva Power & Light Co. and Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative are seeking approval from the Maryland Public Service Commission on Tuesday to charge customers for opting out of smart meters.
- In January, the commissioners said any alternative to smart meters, whether they be analog meters or smart meters configured to emit little to zero levels of radio frequency, would come at a cost: "Whichever option we ultimately choose, we will require those ratepayers that exercise the option to bear appropriate costs."
- Utilities and customers both dislike the configured smart meter alternative, with utilities claiming the configured smart meters would be cost prohibitive while customers argue that the configured meters would have to be tested regularly to make sure radiation levels remain low.
From the article:
That would leave existing analog and digital meters as the alternative. BGE is asking to charge an initial fee of $100 — largely to recover administrative and IT system costs — and a monthly fee of $15. As BGE officials are quick to point out, that charge is the lowest proposed among utilities installing or planning to install smart meters in Maryland.
Pepco and Delmarva Power & Light Co., which have the same parent, proposed a $100 upfront fee and a monthly charge between $50 and $87, depending on the total number of customers opting out. Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative also offered a range of charges depending on participation — about $71 to $105 upfront, and roughly $30 to $35 a month.