By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(March 26, 2026) The Berlin Town Council this week voted to approve a smart meter opt-out policy and an associated fee structure for residents who choose not to participate in the town’s advanced metering system for electric and water utilities.

At Monday’s council meeting, town officials outlined the two-part process required to implement the program: adoption of the opt-out policy and a related tariff amendment that the Maryland Public Service Commission must approve before certain charges can take effect.

Town Administrator Mary Bohlen said the statewide guideline requiring the opt-out policy applies only to electric meters. While not mandated for water meters, officials indicated the town intends to apply a similar structure to both services.

“We are not required to offer an opt-out for the water meters, however, from my experience with this body, I know that that would not be something you would be interested in doing, offering for electric and not water,” the town administrator said, addressing the Town Council.

Under the approved policy, residents — six have requested to date – who opt out of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure will be charged a one-time $50 service fee and a recurring monthly fee of $17 per utility.

Bohlen explained the fees are intended to offset additional labor costs associated with manually reading meters, a task that would otherwise be automated through the smart metering system.

“The smart meters allow us to read meters remotely,” she said. “We don’t have to physically drive to the address, get out of the truck, walk up to the meter, read the meter. So, this is essentially covering what will become the additional labor that has to be done to manually read a meter.”

According to town staff, six residents have requested to opt out of electric smart meters so far.

The monthly electric opt-out fee cannot be implemented until the Public Service Commission approves the required tariff amendment. However, officials said water-related charges could begin sooner. Fees will not be applied retroactively.

The policy prompted discussion among council members, particularly regarding the fairness of the monthly charge.

Councilmember Jack Orris asked if the fee accurately reflects the cost of manually reading meters. Additionally, he noted the limited number of opt-out requests.

“I don’t see why there’s a $17 fee for those who choose not to have a smart meter … we never charged to go read meters,” Orris said. “Now we have this smart opportunity, and these folks are not choosing to be in it. I don’t understand.”

Other officials argued the costs extend beyond meter reading alone. Electric Utility Director Tim Lawrence said manual readings require additional data processing and staff time compared to automated systems.

“It’s more than just going out and reading meters,” Lawrence said. “AMI metering, the way when it’s all up and running, it will be seamless. Basically, when you go out and read meters remotely, it downloads automatically then does all the billing…but when you manually read a meter, you have to bring that information black to customer service, then they have to manually enter it.”

Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall added that Berlin operates with lean staffing, and the efficiencies gained through smart meters allow employees to focus on other priorities.

“If we can save the two to three days used for manually reading those meters, this new system will allow us to have increased staff time to focus on other projects,” Tyndall said.

Officials also emphasized the benefits of advanced metering infrastructure, including improved system data, reduced billing errors, and enhanced tools for customers. The system is expected to include a web portal where residents can track real-time energy usage.

“Smart meters tell us a lot of information,” Lawrence said. “We can tell the customer usage, we can tell that it’s peaking during the wintertime, what time of day…it can tell you every 15 minutes what your peak is, what day was the highest peak and at what time, and see the temperature of the meter itself. The meters are designed so when they reach a certain temperature, they automatically shut themselves down to prevent a fire hazard.”

There is no cost for residents who accept smart meters. Fees apply only to those who opt out.

The council approved the opt-out policy in a 3-1 vote, with Orris opposed and Councilmember Shaneka Nichols absent.

In a related action, the council unanimously approved electric utility tariff adjustments, 4-0, with Nichols absent.