Electric Company Forces Spyware Meters

The Oklahoma attorney general's office and a frequent critic of smart meters both took issue Wednesday with a plan by Public Service Co. of Oklahoma to charge extra to customers opting out of the new electric meters. …The utility wants to charge a one-time fee of $183 and monthly charges of $28 to opt out of its smart meter program. Assistant Attorney General Dara Derryberry told the commission those fees were excessive, both when compared to smart meter opt-out programs in 11 other states and in a recent proposal by Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. The average one-time fee was $56, while the average monthly fee was $11, she said.…