Smart meters are now in 97 percent of Texas homes, making Texas among the states with the highest penetration of smart meters. This is expected to pay dividends into the future as they enable everything from prepaid electricity plans to time of day pricing that allows consumers to pay less for electricity during off peak hours such as overnight and weekends.
Yet a small but vocal group of consumers has consistently demanded the right to opt out. The Texas PUC as granted these consumers there request. Giving them opt-out privileges. This opt out is not free, however.
The price for opting out in Texas could run several hundred dollars in some places. In the Dallas area, the company responsible for electric delivery could charge consumers as much as $400 to have an old style meter. Given the advantages of having smart meters and the cost of forgoing them, it is expected that very few people in the state will turn them down.