If you check the PSO website, it says customers can not opt out of having so-called "smart meters" installed on their homes or businesses, but that's not precisely correct.
A check of the site Wednesday afternoon showed that on the FAQ page, under the heading "Can a customer opt out of the new meter if it is not wanted?" it still says "No, in order to reap the full benefits of AMI from an operational and cost standpoint, AMI needs to be fully deployed throughout the project area. In turn, our operational structure is changing to support the new technology and work practices."
But, as KRMG first reported several weeks ago, the company does plan to allow customers to opt out, though they make it clear that not many customers have chosen to do so.
A letter PSO will send to those customers, which the utility provided to KRMG, reads as follows:
The company says it's waiting to hear back from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission on an exact procedure for opting out, and how much it will be allowed to charge customers who choose to do so.
You can call the PSO customer service line at Call PSO at 1-888-216-3523 for more information.
However, there's no specific option on the line to request the company not to install a smart meter.
While there's a lot of discussion about the possible health effects of non-thermal radiation emitted by the devices, other safety concerns are getting attention as well.
An incident this week in Stockton, California in which a truck hit a power pole has highlighted those concerns.