Kauai residents who won’t let the electric utility install smart meters on their home or business could soon see a hike in their electricity bills. 

The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative is seeking approval from the Public Utilities Commission to charge customers who use the old meters an extra $10.27 on their monthly electricity bills. 

About 10 percent of the utility’s 30,000 customers declined to use the smart meters, according to a KIUC press release. The utility estimates that it will cost KIUC $340,000 a year to read and services the 3,000 old meters. 

KIUC can remotely monitor electricity use with the smart meters. With the old meters, technicians have to visit the home or business to read the meter. The monthly charge reflects this cost as well as the cost of vehicles and equipment. 

While smart meters have been adopted by the majority of Kauai residents, some have rejected the technology citing privacy and health fears.

KIUC is also seeking PUC approval to charge residential customers who want to switch back to the old meters a one-time fee of $50.64. Commercial customers would be charged $65.64 to $138.80. 

From KIUC: 

Smart meters use wireless technology to transmit data on electrical use. KIUC plans to introduce a free online portal that customers can use with their smart meter to track their electric use.  Nearly 1,000 of KIUC’s customers already use a digital display that collects data from the smart meter to allow the customer to view their energy use in real-time.