By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-889070.mp3
Dallas, TX – The Texas Public Utility Commission has approved independent testing of the "smart meters" being installed throughout the state. KERA's BJ Austin says customers are complaining about sky-high electric bills after the change-over to the new meters.
Ree Wattner of Oak Cliff formed the Smart Utility Reform Citizens group after she and her Kessler Park neighbors saw their electric bills jump dramatically once the smart meters were installed. She told the Public Utility Commission some bills were 500 to one thousand dollars.
The PUC's Terry Hadley says Commissioners want to get to the bottom of this.
Hadley: It is very important that customers understand it, and that they have confidence in this process going forward. So that's why the Commission is going to demand some independent testing.
Oncor officials say they want the additional testing, which will include side-by-side comparison of the old "dial" meters and the new "smart" ones.
Addressing the issue at Dallas City Hall, Oncor Vice President Debbie Dennis said the company tested 2800 meters and found them all accurate.
Dennis: Where we have had some difficulty is in the process of changing out the meters, from the old meter to the new meter. Someone does a "read" at that point in time. So, we've had a small percentage of cases where the technician that was switching out the meter, might have misread that meter as they were taking it out.
Sarah Smiley of Dallas says customers are not getting a satisfactory explanation of why the new meters are costing people a lot of money.
Smiley: I'd like to see someone step up to the plate on behalf of the residents of Dallas who are getting high bills and absurd explanations for them. The system is losing public trust.
Public Utility Commissioners say they ordered the independent testing to restore public trust in the smart-meter program as well as determine the accuracy of the meters.