Missoula County opposes HB 606: Requiring opt-in for advanced meter installation, up for hearing this afternoon in the House Energy, Technology and Federal Relations Committee.
We recognize the importance of advanced metering infrastructure to facilitate the transition to a clean, modern electric grid. When paired with modern rate structures, such as time-varying rates, advanced meters make it possible to better align electricity costs with price signals to consumers. This has potential to reduce peak load and reduce the utility’s need for new capacity resources, resulting in lower costs for all ratepayers. Other benefits of advanced meters to Missoula County residents will include faster detection of outages and quicker restoration of service by the utility when an outage occurs, as well as avoidance of the need for utility personnel to access residents’ properties to read meters.
Advanced metering is an important foundation for a clean, modern electric grid. HB 606 would require that customers opt IN to receive an advanced meter. This would likely make it infeasible for utilities to install advanced meters in Montana at all, which would be a massive, missed opportunity to modernize the grid.
Sent Feb. 26:
ReplyDeleteRepresentatives,
Missoula County opposes HB 606: Requiring opt-in for advanced meter installation, up for hearing this afternoon in the House Energy, Technology and Federal Relations Committee.
We recognize the importance of advanced metering infrastructure to facilitate the transition to a clean, modern electric grid. When paired with modern rate structures, such as time-varying rates, advanced meters make it possible to better align electricity costs with price signals to consumers. This has potential to reduce peak load and reduce the utility’s need for new capacity resources, resulting in lower costs for all ratepayers. Other benefits of advanced meters to Missoula County residents will include faster detection of outages and quicker restoration of service by the utility when an outage occurs, as well as avoidance of the need for utility personnel to access residents’ properties to read meters.
Advanced metering is an important foundation for a clean, modern electric grid. HB 606 would require that customers opt IN to receive an advanced meter. This would likely make it infeasible for utilities to install advanced meters in Montana at all, which would be a massive, missed opportunity to modernize the grid.
Please oppose HB 606.