i know this is a very old post but any info on my rights in CO would be appreciated. they are about to install a smart meter or “noncommunicating” meter at my house very soon and i dont want either of them. unfortunately need power from xcel energy though . please tell me my rights & how i find what rights they have as part of the electricity line easement?

What makes you say we own the analog meters? That is contrary to everything I’ve read so far. Thanks!

239-823-3066

Ray most of us don’t have ur expertise so can u think of another way to avoid all this or would u come to my house do do all of that for me. They’re putting their flags and marking their spots as we speak. Anyone feel free to respond. Find all of us another way Ray please

In BC, Canada, so far BC Hydro is a publicly owned utility. Turns out the loophole is this: We OWN the analog meters they have removed and destroyed. Heads really WILL roll, and analog replacement meters by law must be returned to owners.

Failing that we have in mind a fenced moat which is wider then the length of the reach a bucket truck, of course a moat would be stocked with an endangered species … such as crocodiles §;~D

Enclosure number two: For our small seasonal getaway cottage we enclosed the meter by building an entire sun room around the meter wall. The room was designed around a whole bunch of single glazed windows we found at a bargain price at a garage sale and installed as a double layered set of windows, plus a solid wood door which someone was getting rid of during renovations.

Sure wish I had the skill to upload pix to show you what we decided to do.
Since I posted this a year ago, we designed & built an entire room complete with steel doors surrounding the external meter wall, complete with a small viewing window which has a burglar grill installed on the interior side over wired safety glass.
Tell me, is it true that a house can use electricity without using a meter at all?

in response to your question regarding how to prevent pge from forcing the smart meter onto you, I am an electrician by trade who opted out of smart meter program. I barricaded the entrance to my back yard where my meter is located, AND locked my wooden enclosure with a padlock to prevent my meter from being changed but still could be read. PGE entered my neighbors back yard, hopped the fence into my yard and cut off my padlock (which was a small cheap lock) and replaced my meter with smart meter. When I got home that day I saw that my power had been shut off, so I checked my meter and found smart meter there. I tore it out of there and plugged in an old analog meter I had from another job I had done and PGE showed up a few days later, told me that I had to have the smart meter or my service would be shut off. I threatened them with gunfire if entering my property and they said that they have a right to access the easement (a phone pole in my yard) and would come with police to shut me off. Days later they came again when I was not home and shut me off. Since im an electrician, I opened up the service and removed the little caps they put under my contacts and put it all back together and restored my power. Again they showed up saying they will cut the service drop for my home off at the phone pole. I said “go ahead, I will run my own service drop and you cant take the phone pole out of my yard, now can you?” I have not had any more contact from them for a couple months now. I recommend a big dog in the yard, the installers surely will stay away as they are terrified by the dogs. Or I like your idea about a strong metal enclosure bolted to your house with carriage bolts.

Did you call the company and opt out? Or just lock it up?