State senator questions ‘smart’ electric meters
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A Kern County lawmaker wants to know whether the high-tech, ‘smart’ electric meters being installed across the state save money for ratepayers or just for the investor-owned utilities.
State Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter) is holding an oversight hearing Monday in Bakersfield to quiz Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and officials from other companies about recent rate hikes and their connection, if any, to the installation of smart meters.
The meters are touted as a way for both utilities and homeowners to easily get real-time information about how much energy they are using. But, for now, most of the economic benefit seems to be going to the state’s three big, for-profit utilities -- Southern California Edison Co., San Diego Gas & Electric Co. and PG&E, Florez said.
Utilities expect to save millions of dollars in labor costs because the smart meters transmit consumer usage data by radio and don’t need to be checked by traditional meter readers.
‘I think the jury is still out on how really useful smart meters are,’ Florez said. ‘Not only are there hidden costs to ratepayers, but it’s unclear how the information that is promised through this new technology will ever be used by average households.’
The California Public Utilities Commission has given the three electric companies the go-ahead to spend billions of dollars to begin installing the meters. Installation costs ultimately will be recovered from ratepayers.
In Southern California, Edison plans to install about 5.3 million smart meters by 2012.
The Florez hearing is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 5, at 6:30 p.m. in the Kern County Board of Supervisors Chamber.
-- Marc Lifsher
