The newer smart meters that OEC uses have "locks" on them, not just the old tamper-evident tags found on older meter bases. It doesn't look like it would be terribly difficult to defeat (I didn't study it closely, but it just looks like a special bolt on a metal ring that surrounds the meter "globe"), but it's not something most homeowners would be equipped to tackle--plus, it's a smart meter, so, as you note, OEC would know when you kill it and would be able to remotely disable it.If you pull the meter, the utility supplying your power will have to come out to inspect and approve once the tamper lock is removed around here. Our meters are auto read electronically. When they are disconnected, the utility knows it.