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Update June 19, 2025
At their monthly meeting on June 19, the Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors approved the rate actions to update to the existing meter opt-out rate as well as clean up outdated pricing structures and credits. For more information, read the press release here.
OPPD will begin updating customers’ meters with a soft launch in the fourth quarter of 2025. This is part of an overall technology upgrade that will provide customers more choice and better experiences, especially when it comes to power outages.
Our existing meters are nearing the end of their service life and will be replaced with smart meters, the newest generation of metering equipment. This type of meter is also called an AMI meter. AMI is short for Advanced Metering Infrastructure.
As a customer, smart meters are going to give you more control over your energy use with even better reliability. You can read more about OPPD's upcoming residential smart meter program here. Smart meters provide customers information that allows them to monitor their energy usage. They also automatically notify OPPD about power outages, so we can in turn notify customers. This means that customers will no longer have to manually report their own outages.
Just as they do today, customers who choose not to take advantage of the new technology will have to pay a monthly $50 fee, which covers OPPD’s costs to send employees to read the meter monthly and maintain separate administrative processes and billing.
In addition, these same customers will be charged a one-time fee of $220 to have OPPD install a meter that will not communicate with OPPD systems. This fee provides a unique meter to the customer and covers the expense for OPPD to set up separate processes to read the meter for billing purposes.
Customers who opt out of our smart meter update will not receive automatic outage notifications or be able to opt into future programs that rely on the smart meter technology.
Public Comments
OPPD is accepting public comments on this rate action from May 13 - June 15. You may leave your feedback in the guestbook below.
Update June 19, 2025
At their monthly meeting on June 19, the Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors approved the rate actions to update to the existing meter opt-out rate as well as clean up outdated pricing structures and credits. For more information, read the press release here.
OPPD will begin updating customers’ meters with a soft launch in the fourth quarter of 2025. This is part of an overall technology upgrade that will provide customers more choice and better experiences, especially when it comes to power outages.
Our existing meters are nearing the end of their service life and will be replaced with smart meters, the newest generation of metering equipment. This type of meter is also called an AMI meter. AMI is short for Advanced Metering Infrastructure.
As a customer, smart meters are going to give you more control over your energy use with even better reliability. You can read more about OPPD's upcoming residential smart meter program here. Smart meters provide customers information that allows them to monitor their energy usage. They also automatically notify OPPD about power outages, so we can in turn notify customers. This means that customers will no longer have to manually report their own outages.
Just as they do today, customers who choose not to take advantage of the new technology will have to pay a monthly $50 fee, which covers OPPD’s costs to send employees to read the meter monthly and maintain separate administrative processes and billing.
In addition, these same customers will be charged a one-time fee of $220 to have OPPD install a meter that will not communicate with OPPD systems. This fee provides a unique meter to the customer and covers the expense for OPPD to set up separate processes to read the meter for billing purposes.
Customers who opt out of our smart meter update will not receive automatic outage notifications or be able to opt into future programs that rely on the smart meter technology.
Public Comments
OPPD is accepting public comments on this rate action from May 13 - June 15. You may leave your feedback in the guestbook below.
Please note, "Guestbook" is for comments only and they will be passed along to the Board of Directors. OPPD's Board of Directors is accepting comments on the AMI Opt Out rate through June 15, 2025.
Please know, OPPD cannot respond to comments or questions left on this guestbook comments tool. Your opinion matters and all comments provided here in this tool are shared with OPPD leadership. Please leave your feedback here in our guestbook.
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded 6/15.
I upgraded my service last year, I just paid for a new meter. Now you are telling me I have to accept extortion or get a new smart meter, which I do not want or need. You have increased rates significantly already this year due to a streetcar project the majority of citizens did not want, now this. This public power district is supposed to work for the people, not against them.
Nosmartmeters
21 days ago
A. Asking for "Public Comment" regarding the two choices offered seems pointless. $50 a month plus the initial $220 fee is discriminatory toward those who for whatever reason(s) live in a "smart-less" world. Instead of raising their bill by over $800, try some system where people read their own meters and send OPPD the reading (with various options) Non-compliance results in a smart meter.
B. I'm 72 years old and smart technology has not been friendly with me. For instance, how long will your smart meters be free? We paid about $500 for a new smart thermostat (it could have been 3x that price) when told that our original smart thermostat was obsolete. How soon will yours be obsolete and we will then have no choice about paying to replace it?
Do I want to choose A or B?
Richard T
about 1 month ago
I am extremely disappointed that you will be essentially forcing this unsafe technology on everyone. There are plenty of videos online with people using emf meters and showing the huge spike in radiation that smart meters cause all the time (not just once in awhile as promised). Search it for yourself. We had one and it messed with my heart rate, so it was great not having them when we moved here.
I would be happy to email a photo of my meter every month. $50 is waaayyy too much to opt out and unnecessary when there is no reason we can’t self report with photo proof in this day and age. I could see if a customer forgets to report, then you could charge to come out. These are not safe for everyone and combined with the 5G it’s no wonder cancer rates continue to hit record levels. Don’t force those of us who play it safe to pay for our safety, especially such a huge amount.
InformYourself
about 1 month ago
I am concerned about the high cost of opting out. This system is introducing a security risk that has not been sufficiently discussed.
MelissaH
about 2 months ago
It would be good if you included information in your literature on how this impacts residents in multi-tenant housing. It would be good to ensure that your customers living in multi-tenant housing will not be charged the one-time $220 fee and that the property owner will be responsible for the smart meter upgrade.
WattsUp
about 2 months ago
I'm looking forward to getting a modern smart meter that will have have a portal to access my homes energy usage information.
I'm also glad to see that there's a fee for people opting out of the smart meter program.
I upgraded my service last year, I just paid for a new meter. Now you are telling me I have to accept extortion or get a new smart meter, which I do not want or need. You have increased rates significantly already this year due to a streetcar project the majority of citizens did not want, now this. This public power district is supposed to work for the people, not against them.
A. Asking for "Public Comment" regarding the two choices offered seems pointless. $50 a month plus the initial $220 fee is discriminatory toward those who for whatever reason(s) live in a "smart-less" world. Instead of raising their bill by over $800, try some system where people read their own meters and send OPPD the reading (with various options) Non-compliance results in a smart meter.
B. I'm 72 years old and smart technology has not been friendly with me. For instance, how long will your smart meters be free? We paid about $500 for a new smart thermostat (it could have been 3x that price) when told that our original smart thermostat was obsolete. How soon will yours be obsolete and we will then have no choice about paying to replace it?
Do I want to choose A or B?
I am extremely disappointed that you will be essentially forcing this unsafe technology on everyone. There are plenty of videos online with people using emf meters and showing the huge spike in radiation that smart meters cause all the time (not just once in awhile as promised). Search it for yourself. We had one and it messed with my heart rate, so it was great not having them when we moved here.
I would be happy to email a photo of my meter every month. $50 is waaayyy too much to opt out and unnecessary when there is no reason we can’t self report with photo proof in this day and age. I could see if a customer forgets to report, then you could charge to come out. These are not safe for everyone and combined with the 5G it’s no wonder cancer rates continue to hit record levels. Don’t force those of us who play it safe to pay for our safety, especially such a huge amount.
I am concerned about the high cost of opting out. This system is introducing a security risk that has not been sufficiently discussed.
It would be good if you included information in your literature on how this impacts residents in multi-tenant housing. It would be good to ensure that your customers living in multi-tenant housing will not be charged the one-time $220 fee and that the property owner will be responsible for the smart meter upgrade.
I'm looking forward to getting a modern smart meter that will have have a portal to access my homes energy usage information.
I'm also glad to see that there's a fee for people opting out of the smart meter program.
Public comment will be seen here.