A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the establishment of an opt-in program for
Page 1, Line 102smart meters installed by a qualifying retail utility.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
Under current law, an investor-owned qualifying retail utility serving more than 500,000 customers (utility) may install advanced metering infrastructure (smart meter) at a customer's residential property without the property owner's permission unless the customer opts out of having the smart meter installed. The bill prohibits, beginning July 1, 2025, a utility from installing a smart meter at a customer's residential property unless the customer opts in by submitting a signed request to the utility requesting the installation of a smart meter.
The bill also requires a utility that installed a smart meter at a customer's residential property without the customer's permission prior to July 1, 2025, to uninstall the smart meter and replace it with a manual meter within 90 days after receiving a customer's request.
The bill requires a utility to establish an online website and provide a phone number by which customers of the utility may submit requests to receive or uninstall a smart meter.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 40-4-122 as follows:
Page 2, Line 340-4-122. Advanced metering infrastructure on residential
Page 2, Line 4property - smart meters - opt-in program - removal of smart meter
Page 2, Line 5- definitions. (1) Definitions.As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 2, Line 6(a) "Advanced metering infrastructure" has the meaning set forth in section 40-3-103.6 (3)(a).
Page 2, Line 7(b) "Manual meter" means a traditional utility meter used
Page 2, Line 8to measure electricity consumption at a property that requires
Page 2, Line 9a utility to visit the property and manually record a customer's electricity consumption.
Page 2, Line 10(c) "Qualifying retail utility" or "utility" means an
Page 2, Line 11investor-owned electric utility serving more than five hundred thousand customers.
Page 2, Line 12(2) On or after July 1, 2025, a qualifying retail utility
Page 2, Line 13shall not install advanced metering infrastructure at a
Page 2, Line 14residential customer's property unless the customer has
Page 2, Line 15submitted a signed request to the utility, or has otherwise
Page 3, Line 1contacted the utility to formally request, that advanced
Page 3, Line 2metering infrastructure be installed at the customer's property.
Page 3, Line 3(3) (a) If a qualifying retail utility installed advanced
Page 3, Line 4metering infrastructure on a residential customer's property
Page 3, Line 5without the consent of the customer before July 1, 2025, the
Page 3, Line 6customer may submit a signed request to the utility, or
Page 3, Line 7otherwise contact the utility to formally request, that the
Page 3, Line 8utility uninstall the advanced metering infrastructure and replace it with a manual meter.
Page 3, Line 9(b) A qualifying retail utility that receives a request to
Page 3, Line 10uninstall advanced metering infrastructure in accordance with
Page 3, Line 11subsection (3)(a) of this section shall uninstall the advanced
Page 3, Line 12metering infrastructure and replace it with a manual meter
Page 3, Line 13within ninety days after the utility received the notice or formal request from the customer.
Page 3, Line 14(4) A qualifying retail utility shall:
Page 3, Line 15(a) Develop a public website that is made accessible at no
Page 3, Line 16cost to the utility's residential customers that allows a
Page 3, Line 17customer to submit to the utility the requests described in subsections (2) and (3)(a) of this section; and
Page 3, Line 18(b) Provide the utility's residential customers a method
Page 3, Line 19of contacting the utility by phone to submit the requests described in subsections (2) and (3)(a) of this section.
Page 3, Line 20SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
Page 3, Line 21determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
Page 3, Line 22preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
Page 4, Line 1the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.