A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 49-04.1 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the installation of smart meters; and to amend and reenact section 49-04.1-01 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to unauthorized metering.
HB 1486 would regulate the installation of smart meter gateway devices by electric, gas, and water utilities in North Dakota. The bill requires a utility to obtain the property owner’s signed consent before installing such a device in a home or business, and the consent form must clearly state that the owner may opt out and that utility service will not be interrupted or hindered if they do so. It also requires utilities to disclose in writing, when service is first provided, whether a smart meter gateway device has been installed.
If a smart meter gateway device has already been installed, the bill would require the utility to remove it upon the owner’s written request and replace it with a traditional electromechanical legacy meter. The bill also amends the state’s unauthorized metering definitions in chapter 49-04.1 to add a definition of “smart meter gateway device” and to update related utility-metering terminology. In practical terms, the measure would create a new consent-and-opt-out framework for smart meter installations and would limit utility discretion to install or retain these devices without owner approval.
The bill would amend North Dakota Century Code chapter 49-04.1 by adding a new section governing smart meter gateway device installation and by revising definitions related to unauthorized metering. It would impose new notice, disclosure, and consent requirements on utilities serving electricity, gas, or water, and would require utilities to honor removal requests and reinstall legacy meters when requested by property owners. The affected parties would include public utilities, municipally owned utilities, cooperatives, and residential and business customers who receive utility service.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded vote details, but the bill ultimately failed on February 18, 2025. Based on the text alone, the measure appears to reflect privacy- and consumer-choice concerns about smart meter technology, while also preserving continued utility service for customers who opt out. The failure suggests the proposal did not advance, but there is no documented floor or committee debate in the provided materials to indicate broader support or opposition.
The central point of contention is likely whether property owners should have an absolute right to refuse smart meter gateway devices and require a traditional meter instead. Supporters would likely emphasize consent, privacy, and the ability to opt out without service disruption, while opponents may have viewed the bill as interfering with utility operations, modernization efforts, or load-control and communications functions associated with smart meters. Another possible issue is the operational and cost burden on utilities of maintaining dual metering systems and replacing installed devices on request.