Carson City - The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada on Tuesday approved a trial smart meter opt-out program.
The decision allows consumers to receive a non-communicating digital meter instead of a smart meter. In addition, the commission adjusted NV Energy's original opt-out proposal and approved lower rates for a one-time installation fee and recurring monthly charges for the alternative meter.
A non-communicating digital meter requires a manual reading once a month. Smart meters transmit data wirelessly in intervals throughout the day. The commission said the non-communicating digital meter better addresses customer concerns associated with smart meters, radio transmissions and the collection of interval data.
In Southern Nevada, the upfront installation fee is $98.75 for electric meters, with a recurring monthly charge of $8.14. In Northern Nevada, installation cost for electric meters is $107.66. The extra monthly charge is $8.04. Northern Nevada natural gas customers opting out of a smart meter will pay a one-time fee of $6.08. There is no ongoing extra charge for natural gas customers.
About 7,000 existing residential and business meters in Winnemucca and Humboldt County are slated to be swapped out for smart meters. NV Energy is installing about 1.4 million smart meters across the state by the end of 2012.
In filings with the Nevada Public Utilities Commission, the utility proposed different opt-out fees for both northern and southern Nevada. The utility calls it a non-standard metering option.
Faye Andersen, a spokesperson for NV Energy, told the Humboldt Sun earlier this year that the proposed fees represent what it would cost the utility to purchase, install, maintain, read and bill for the alternative meters.
Smart meters are digital devices that record energy use data every 15 minutes to gather a view of daily energy use patterns. Unlike the old analog meters they will replace, they can transmit and receive data via a wireless signal to NV Energy.
The utility says switching customers over to the smart meters will result in $35 million in operational savings, which will be passed along to customers.
For additional information about the trial opt-out program, visit the PUCN's website at puc.nv.gov. A Trial Opt-out Program link will be available later this week.
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