[MassHistPres] Electric Meters in Historic Districts

[slater at alum.rpi.edu]

I know I've told this story before, but in Springfield, the power
company puts it onto the homeowner -- the power company mandates that
meters which were previously inside must come out if there is a change
in service (like upgrading to 200 amps).

It is impractical for a homeowner to move the meter to the side of the
property because the circuit breaker and all the wiring are not easily
moved on the interior of the structure.

The homeowner is faced with 3 unpleasant choices:

1) abandon the project, which is a very bad choice since a homeowner
usually does not realize that changing an electrical service will result
in an exterior change, and often is halfway through a renovation when it
comes up.

2) put the meter somewhere inconspicuous by moving the interior service
and wiring, a job that would probably be easily in the 5 figures. Also
very unpleasant.

3) put the meter on the outside of the house directly above where it was
installed originally on the interior, which is usually the front of the
house. Also very unpleasant.

The historical commission, by eliminating option #3 -- the worst from
the HCs perspective, is forcing a homeowner to spend five figures to
remedy an electric meter on the front of a property. I don't think that
would hold up in court.

The power company is unrelenting with their requirement to leave meters
on the interiors -- not sure why, since they read them by truck and the
readers can get a signal on the inside of the house. I think that this
is the avenue that should be pursued by multiple historical commissions
working together, since power companies usually service multiple cities
and towns.

Ralph Slate
Springfield, MA

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