KIUC Board Approves Resolution for Smart Meter Deferral
KIUC Board Approves Resolution for Smart Meter Deferral (6/26/12)
Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i, HI - 6/26/12 – The board of directors of the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) today approved a resolution setting the policy by which customers of the utility can choose not to have a smart meter installed.
The unanimous action by the board puts in writing the policy followed by KIUC since the meter installation began in April: if you don't want a smart meter, you don't have to have one.
The resolution affirms that KIUC will not try to install a smart meter on any property where the account-holder has deferred and will not seek authorization from the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission to install a smart meter on that property.
The board resolution also states that as the smart meter installation project nears completion, KIUC may convert its deferral policy to an opt-out program that will charge a fee to cover the cost of servicing customers without a smart meter. Any fee would be subject to review and approval by the Public Utilities Commission.
Deferral forms are available online at www.kiuc.coop and at the KIUC offices at 4463 Pahe‘e St., Līhu‘e during regular business hours.
RESOLUTION 07-12 OF THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
KAUA`I ISLAND UTILITY COOPERATIVE (“KIUC”)
STATEMENT REGARDING MEMBERS’/CUSTOMERS'' RIGHTS TO ELECT TO DEFER INSTALLATION OF A SMART METER (aka an "ADVANCED METER")
WHEREAS, KIUC has embarked on a five-year smart grid demonstration project in cooperation with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Cooperative Research Network and the U.S. Department of Energy; and
WHEREAS, the project includes the use of so-called “smart meters” that periodically relay customers’ energy usage directly to KIUC, eliminating the need for manual reading and more than 100,000 miles in annual travel around the island; and
WHEREAS, the new smart meters provide significant potential benefits to KIUC and its members/customers by offering expanded data on energy usage and immediate outage notification; and
WHEREAS, KIUC’s Board of Directors is confident in the safety and security of the technology used by the smart meters KIUC is installing, but recognizes that some members/customers have expressed concerns about perceived health and security issues related to smart meters; and
WHEREAS, KIUC’s Board of Directors also recognizes that some members/customers have expressed uncertainty or have taken certain positions as to the rights of a member/customer who does not want to have a smart meter installed on their property; and
WHEREAS, KIUC’s Board of Directors desires, through this resolution, to clarify the process by which KIUC will allow a member/customer to not have a smart meter installed on their property.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it hereby resolved by KIUC’s Board of Directors that KIUC has allowed, and will continue to allow, any member/customer to not have a smart meter installed on their property by the filing with KIUC of a written deferral request, or the equivalent express written indication, that the member/customer desires no smart meter to be installed on premises where that member/customer is the account holder or the designated representative of the entity which is the account holder. Upon receipt of such deferral request or indication by KIUC, KIUC will not thereafter voluntarily install without court order or an order or determination of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (“PUC”), or seek permission from the PUC to install, a smart meter on said premises of that member/customer; and
IT IS FURTHER, resolved that on or before the time when the installation of the smart grid installation project is close to completion and tested, KIUC may choose to establish or convert the existing deferral policy to an opt-out policy or program that will enable a member/customer to decline installation of a smart meter. At that time, KIUC may also choose to request that the PUC approve the recovery of KIUC’s costs and impacts caused by those members/customers that decided not to receive a smart meter, including but not limited to the additional cost of installing, maintaining, replacing and reading the meter that is being used in lieu of the smart meter.
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