The Jefferson County Public Utility District has prioritized developing an opt-out option for customers who want meters without radio frequency modules. The modules of the current meters enable one-way transmission, as opposed to the two-way transmission of smart meters. During their Feb. 19 board meeting, PUD commissioners tasked staff with scheduling a joint workshop between the commissioners and the PUD Citizens Advisory Board to discuss the meter issue. Members of the CAB in attendance were interested in covering other issues during that meeting. “This is going to be a long process, so we need to get started now,” PUD Commissioner Kenneth Collins said. Collins earlier said the PUD should continue to proceed with plans to retain a consultant who could recommend a plan for replacing existing meters. PUD Commission President Jeff Randall said a number of citizens had approached commissioners with concerns about current meters’ radio frequency module. Collins said the PUD doesn’t have a current policy that would allow its customers to opt out of specific types of meters. When commissioners spoke of retaining a consultant to discuss possible meter replacement, the word “justify” raised some concerns among customers in attendance. Collins responded by defining it in terms of justifying any possible replacement (or retention) of the current meters with a cost-benefit analysis. “It’s about justifying it in dollars and cents,” Collins said. “Our starting point needs to be, ‘Does it make sense to invest in a different type of meter? What would it provide that would be different from what we have now?’” Acting PUD General Manager Kevin Streett said it’s possible, albeit unlikely, that a consultant could tell the PUD to “live with what you’ve got” for meters, in which case the PUD would abide by that recommendation. “We’re not even saying that we’ll necessarily do a meter change-out,” Streett said. “Everything is on the table.” CAB member Seb Eggert characterized the PUD’s previous moves toward smart meters as “a complete disaster” and echoed Ana Wolpin’s call for the PUD to aid its “most vulnerable, least-fortunate citizens.” Wolpin cited the PUD’s increased aid for low-income customers while urging it to conduct a pilot program of meters without radio frequency modules for those who might have problems with electromagnetic hypersensitivity. The PUD’s current contract with Landis+Gyr for its meters expires in 2021.