One of the new "smart" meters. Somehow these things are supposed to provide some valuable service to both the consumer and the utility, sending information in both directions. The promotional material provided by manufacturer Itron is very nearly incomprehensible. I dare you to figure it out.
One can be exempted from this innovation but it will cost $15 per month to remain in the not-so-smart era. It seems unlikely that any but homeowners that are electrical engineers will be able to make real use of the meters, although some additional information on the bills are supposed to be introduced along with the devices. Since most customers couldn't tell you how much they're paying per kilowatt hour for power, its difficult to say how good a use they'll make of that information, should they even look at it. They already know that they should turn out the bathroom light when finished brushing their teeth and unplug the iron before leaving for work.
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