According to a recent FierceEnergy article, the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) unanimously voted last week to draft rules allowing millions of state businesses and residences to opt out of smart meters.The opt out is not guaranteed, as the rules will be subjected to a public comment period before facing a final PUC vote. Customers who opt out would likely face supplemental fees.
Smart meters have faced resistance across the U.S., and the issue has been brewing in Texas for some time. As proposed, the opt out would not require swapping smart meters for electromechanical meters, but would simply disable smart meter radios. Nearly seven million smart meters have been installed in Texas, representing 90 percent of customers, according to PUC.
If approved, Texas would join Nevada, California, Vermont, Oregon, and Arizona in offering an opt-out option for a small but steadfast group of customers concerned over smart meter privacy and health.
