The California Public Utility Commission ruled on Thursday
that Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric
customers will receive the same opt-out smart meter
program as their neighbors to the north in Pacific Gas &
Electric’s territory.
Although the utilities lobbied for the ‘radio off’ option,
where the wireless radio inside of
digital smart meters would be turned off, they instead
received the pricier option of giving customers an analog
meter.
The cost to those who choose to opt out is not
insignificant. Customers will have to pay $75 upfront and
$10 monthly for an analog meter. Low-income customers will
pay $10 upfront and $5 per month. A radio-off meter did not
meet the concerns of opponents, and a
hard-wired meterwas seen as too expensive. The
difference in cost between putting analog meters back in
versus turning the radio off was $416 versus $402,
respectively.
However, final costs could change after a second phase that
will come later this year, in which the CPUC will evaluate
the opt-out rates and also consider allowing entire
communities to opt out.
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