Smart Meters: Cost Too Much, Not Needed

Kentucky Utilities Co. and Louisville Gas & Electric Co. (KU/LG&E) seeks permission from the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) to install some 1.3 million smart meters over the next four years. On behalf of its 470,000 members in Kentucky,  AARP_KY_LGE_Smart_Meter_Public_Comment_July_2018 ask the Public Service Commission to reject the proposed smart meter request by KU/LG&E Case: 2018-00005.

AARP appreciates this opportunity to comment on the latest proposal of Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities for Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity for deployment of advanced metering systems. LG&E-KU have asked to install smart meters throughout their systems.  AARP believes that a smart meter roll-out is not needed.  It costs too much.

As the Attorney General’s expert witness shows, the costs of the proposed roll out exceed the benefits.

Too many Kentucky customers are already having trouble paying for electricity and natural gas service. The utilities want customers to pay to retire the meters now in service.  There is no need to add costs to retire these meters prematurely.

Further, AARP believes there is no need to rush this investment.  Today, 25 percent of customers already have a smart meter. The utilities can continue the slow roll out, retiring existing meters without charging customers extra and moderating the pace of rate increases.

The PSC just rejected the proposal in an earlier 2017 rate case. Nothing has changed since then to make a universal roll-out any more sensible. And if the utilities are sure they are offering a program with benefits exceeding costs, they can refile the proposal in their upcoming rate case this fall. At least then it can be reviewed in the context of other burdens on customers and other possible uses of the investment.

The bottom line, AARP asks the Commission to reject the smart meter proposal. We can’t afford it and it is not needed.

KU/LG&E customers have three options to submit their comments to the Kentucky Public Service Commission. Written comments will be accepted through the conclusion of the evidentiary hearing. Please include case number: 2018-00005.

1)         Mail comments to PSC P.O. Box 615, Frankfort, KY 40602

2)         Fax comments: 502-564-3460.

3)         Email comments and include the case number 2018-0005 in subject line of your email to the Public Information Officer psc.info@ky.gov.

The KU/LG&E application and other records in the case are available on the PSC website, here  psc.ky.gov.

AARP, with its nearly 38 million members in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, nationwide organization that helps empower people to choose how they live as they age, strengthens communities, and fights for the issues that matter most to families, such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse.