Opt-Out

If you decide you don’t want a smart meter after one is installed, there is an $44.46 charge to exchange the smart meter for a digital non-communicating meter, and a $15.00 monthly meter reading fee. Some customers may also choose to have the transmitter in the AMI meter disabled and avoid the meter exchange fee of $44.46, though the monthly meter reading charge of $15.00 still applies. 

Why is there a monthly fee to Opt-Out of the smart meter program?
The application of a monthly fee for refusing the installation of a smart meter is to account for additional costs associated with manually reading the meter. 

What customers are not eligible to opt-out of the smart meter program?
It is important to note that customers who take service under a time-differentiated rate or who have net metered generation are unable to opt-out. Time differentiated rates were supported by legacy meters that registered consumption on the meter itself, according to the on and off-peak periods. The meter registers were manually read and used for bill calculations. With the implementation of smart meters, these legacy time of use meters are being taken out of inventory. On and off-peak usage for billing will be derived from the interval usage made available by smart meters. In order to stay on a time differentiating rate, the Company must have interval metering provided by smart meters to support billing the rate.

Be assured that the smart meter technology being implemented has been rigorously tested and proven by manufacturers to be accurate, safe and secure in systems throughout the country. If you have any questions about your installation, please call 855-344-3400 or go to www.firstenergycorp.com/corporate/contact_us and select “Smart Meter” in the “Request Type” drop box.