This bill mandates that electric distribution utilities under the jurisdiction of the public utilities commission, which have not yet implemented interval and advanced metering functionality, must develop a plan to offer such metering to customers on an opt-in basis by November 1, 2026. The plan must prioritize limited producers and customer-generators for access to these advanced meters, and customers interested in demand response services will be next in line. Additionally, customers or their electricity suppliers will be responsible for the incremental costs of advanced meters beyond the cost of traditional legacy meters, and the specifications for these advanced meters must align with requirements for distributed energy resources participating in ISO-NE electricity markets.

The bill also includes provisions for the commission to ensure timely cost recovery for utilities implementing the advanced metering option and supporting systems. It emphasizes the importance of upgrading metering technology to enhance consumer understanding and management of energy usage, ultimately aiming to facilitate better energy planning and cost savings. The act will take effect 60 days after its passage.