Here are updates on smart meter stories we've been telling you about.

Peco and PUC talk smart meter fires

In the wake of numerous incidents of smart meters overheating that in several cases resulted in fires, Peco representatives told the Pennsylvania PUC

According to a report in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Peco's senior VP of operations Mike Innocenzo told the commission Peco would pay for any damage associated with its smart meter installations. The utility has said fire caused serious damage in two of the affected homes. Peco is in the midst of a $650 million smart meter program with installations in 201,642 homes to date.

The Inquirer report indicated the commissioners had "mostly polite" questions for Peco and the smart meter manufacturers who attended the information-gathering session and said the commission chairman praised Peco for being "extremely proactive" in working with them.

Opt-outs in Michigan

We told you earlier this year about the smart grid backlash in Michigan and the Public Service Commission's decision to investigate – as DTE Energy (parent company of Detroit Edison) declared it had no plans to offer a smart meter opt-out. Until last month, that is, when DTE asked state regulatorsto approve its opt-out proposal.

Well, the Michigan PSC went a step further last week, directingall investor-owned utilities in the state to make available an opt-out option, based on cost-of-service principles, for their customers – if or when they decide to implement AMI.

The PSC also indicated that it would open a separate docket to deal with the complex issues of data collection, privacy and cybersecurity.