City Council urges pause on Eversource smart meter rollout, refers concerns to state officials

The New Bedford City Council on June 12 voted to refer a written motion opposing the current structure and proposal for Eversource's statewide smart meter rollout to the city's state delegation, the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and the Department of Public Utilities for review and public hearings.

The motion, introduced as item 15, lists specific concerns: new and additional monthly usage charges for smart meters, monthly opt-out penalty fees for customers who refuse the devices, use of unlicensed installers, and what the motion calls insufficient cybersecurity assurances. The motion urges the Department of Public Utilities to suspend implementation of the program until a comprehensive public review can be conducted, including hearings on safety, reliability and consumer cost impact.

Councilor Ian Abreu, who moved the measure, said the rollout — scheduled to start in July and continue over the next one to two years — could impose additional monthly fees on residential and commercial ratepayers and raised cybersecurity concerns tied to devices connecting to a home's internet or Wi‑Fi. "This needs to be vetted," Abreu said, arguing for public hearings at the DPU and urging the city's state delegation to press for a pause or additional review.

Councilor Leo Choquette seconded the motion. No roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript; the motion passed on a voice vote.

The council did not adopt a binding local moratorium; the action was a request that state-level actors and the department conducting regulatory review consider pausing the rollout and holding hearings. The motion was referred to representatives at the state level and to the Department of Public Utilities for further consideration.