The Vermont state legislature has voted to eliminate smart meter opt out fees, forcing state utilities to provide customers an opt out option for free. As part of its plan to roll out about 160,000 smart meters to customers in its territory, Central Vermont Public Service had proposed to charge customers who chose to opt out of having smart meter a $10 fee. The recently-approved legislation allows for customers to "choose not to have a wireless smart meter installed, at no additional monthly or other charge." Customers can ask for the removal of a previously installed wireless smart meter for any reason and must not be charged for the removal. Additionally, the legislation requires utilities to provide prior written notice to customers indicating that the smart meter will use radio or other wireless means for two-way communication between the meter and the company, and informing customers of their rights under the new law. Furthermore, the bill also puts a requirement for studies related to smart meters to be submitted to lawmakers. To that end, the Vermont Department of Public Service is to prepare a report on the cost-savings associated with smart meters, while also addressing any issues of security breaches because of the wireless smart meters, that is due to the legislature by January 1, 2014.

Threats to systems supporting critical infrastructure — including the smart grid — are constantly “evolving and growing” and as a result have been termed “government-wide high-risk areas” by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testifying before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s oversight and investigations panel, Gregory Wilshusen, director of the GAO’s Information Security Issues team, shared his concerns about the security of the infrastructure. The written testimony observes that smart meters are among those devices that have not been “designed with a strong security architecture and lack important security features.” Further, he remarked that utility companies are often unaware of imminent threats or incidents on their systems because some of that intelligence is classified and cannot be shared with them.

The Michigan Public Service Commission has launched an investigation into Michigan utility companies that install smart meters after concerns were raised by electric customers and municipalities over the practice. The Commission noted that "at least nine local communities across Michigan" have called for such an action by the state agency.
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The results of a study that compares the cost-benefit numbers of smart meter deployments shows that there are regional differences, but utilities in all regions would see a net benefit. These numbers range from $96 million for a utility in the East to $287 million for a utility in the South over a span of 20 years. The report was prepared for the Edison Foundation’s Institute for Electric Efficiency by The Brattle Group.

These findings are important in an environment where both consumers and regulators are questioning the benefits of utility smart meter deployments programs. In many states, regulators have asked the utilities to take on more of the costs of these deployments. The report highlights the benefits both to the consumers and the utilities, especially as it estimates that the operational benefits that each utility would accrue as it replaces its existing metering infrastructure with smart meters, which allow for two-way communication between the consumer and the utility.

The e-know bill introduced by Congressman Markey, would create consumer right to access the retail electric usage and rate in real time at 15-minute intervals, and up to 2 years of historical data. In a recent meeting with UTC staff, Rep. Markey's staff confirmed our reading bill: that it does not require that utilities themselves provide consumers their real-time usage of energy; rather, if the smart meter installed at consumer’s premises has the capability to provide real-time readings at 15-minute intervals, then the consumer has the right to get that information directly from the meter either through a HAN or other third-party application, but it is up to the consumer to take the necessary steps to actually get the information. If the smart meter does not have that capability, the utility is only required to provide energy usage information as expeditiously after the time of collection as reasonably feasible. Historical energy usage data does not need to be this granular.

This means that it would not be necessary for the utility to enhance their network capacity to carry and retransmit the increased data demands. Moreover, the bill would not require that utilities which have already installed smart meters to retrofit those meters to make 15-minute reads possible. The purpose of the bill is simply to provide consumers the incentive to respond to price signals in as near real-time as possible, and provide a record of energy use sufficient to conduct their own assessment of how to save energy overall.