Snohomish County PUD responds to new smart meter complaints

EVERETT — After Snohomish County Public Utilities District began replacing more than 400,000 electromechanical meters with advanced digital meters in 2023, at least one resident is unhappy with the switch.

More than 100,000 meters have already been replaced, Snohomish PUD spokesperson Aaron Swaney said in an interview, as part of the Connect Up program.

However, Arlington resident Erica Madsen says her new digital meter was installed in August without her permission, she wasn’t given enough time to opt out and the wireless connection is a potential breach of privacy, she told The Herald in an email.

The old electromechanical meters count the rotations of metal, electrically conductive discs to monitor electricity usage in a home. The new digital meters are far more accurate, Swaney said. The digital devices also include wireless connection capabilities, updating Snohomish PUD on energy consumption every 15 minutes.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/snohomish-pud-official-responds-to-new-smart-meter-complaints/