The Longmont City Council on Tuesday is scheduled to vote on a proposed opt out plan for residents who do not want to be part of the city’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure program.
The council’s vote will come after a public hearing on the issue, which has drawn fire from some residents who say advanced metering — or AMI — has not been properly tested and could cause health problems. Tuesday’s meeting begins at 7 p.m.
AMI meters are read through a secure, utility wireless communications network that routes meter readings and other data between the customer’s meter and Longmont Power and Communications, according to city staff report to the council.
Proponents say AMI is more efficient and environmentally friendly. The new meters will also make it easier to pinpoint power outages and give customers more information about their power usage during the month, city staff members have told the council.
An initial rollout of AMI is scheduled for later this year, according to a staff report, and at least 46,000 electric meters in Longmont will be replaced with the advanced meters.
There will be a $125 opt-out fee for those who want to keep their current electric meters and a monthly $15 fee for manual meter reading, a city staff report states.
